KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
12-Jan-2026
Ludhiana Police on January 12 arrested three members of the Rohit Godara gang, identified as Sumit Kumar, Sanju, and Sumit alias Altron alias Tunda, and seized two .32-bore pistols with magazines and four live cartridges, following an encounter in the Haibowal area of Ludhiana district. During the exchange of fire, multiple rounds were fired from both sides, and two of the accused sustained injuries.
11-Jan-2026
On January 11, Punjab Police, on day 316 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 56 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 68 drug smugglers and seized 316 grams of heroin, 1.2 kg of opium, 166 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 1960 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
11-Jan-2026
Police on January 11 arrested two shooters in connection with the January 4 murder of sarpanch Jarmal Singh in Tarn Taran district from Chhattisgarh. The arrests were made with the assistance of Raipur Police, as the accused had fled Punjab after the crime and gone into hiding. Although police officials remained tight-lipped, it was learnt that the accused were being brought to Punjab on transit remand.
11-Jan-2026
Police, in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF), on January 11, seized 1.511 kg of heroin, allegedly dropped by drones, during a joint operation in Wan Tara Singh village in Tarn Taran district.
11-Jan-2026
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on January 11 described the repeated disruptions of such events in New Zealand as “deeply concerning” and urged the Union government to raise the matter with the authorities there.
11-Jan-2026
Police on January 11 arrested four persons, identified as Suraj Singh, Karam Singh, Atinderpal Singh, and Harpreet Singh, in connection with the January 7 Kotli Road firing incident and seized three country-made pistols, six live cartridges, and a car from their possession on Bura Gujjar Road in Sri Muktsar Sahib district.
11-Jan-2026
Police on January 11 arrested two alleged drug traffickers, identified as Gurvinder Singh alias Mota and Sarwan Singh alias Samaa and recovered 30 grams of heroin along with INR 4,400 in drug money, in Chatiwind in Amritsar district.
10-Jan-2026
Four key operatives of the Rohit Godara–Goldy Brar gang, identified as Raman, Lokesh, Balraj alias Balram, and Ravinder Singh alias Ravi were arrested in two separate incidents, along with two .30 Beretta pistols, one Zigana pistol, one 9mm pistol, and eight live cartridges, in Kaithal, Haryana. According to the Haryana STF, Raman and Lokesh were arrested on January 10 in Karnal while travelling in a bulletproof vehicle, while Balraj and Ravinder were arrested on January 14 from Pundri in Kaithal. Police said the arrests are linked to twin shootings in the United States (US), stemming from a deepening rift between the Lawrence Bishnoi and Brar–Godara factions. The accused allegedly orchestrated the killing of Sunil Yadav alias Goliya in Stockton, California, on December 23, 2024, and were also involved in an attack at a truck repair facility in Fresno on October 18, 2025, targeting gangster and Bishnoi associate Harry Boxer. The second incident is believed to be part of an escalating internal gang split, after Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar broke away from the Lawrence gang in 2025.
10-Jan-2026
Two masked assailants on a motorcycle, in an extortion attempt, opened fire at a luxury car rental showroom, Royal Limo, near Mullanpur in Ludhiana district on January 10. The gunmen fired at high-end vehicles and left behind “calling cards” linked to notorious international gangsters. Police later confirmed that the business owners received a high-value extortion demand shortly after the attack.
10-Jan-2026
On January 10, Punjab Police, on day 315 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 61 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 82 drug smugglers and seized 7.7 kg of heroin, 8759 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 12,790 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
10-Jan-2026
Khanna police on January 10 busted a major drug-smuggling racket and arrested five of its members, identified as Jashanpreet Singh, Angrej Singh, Harshdeep Singh, Prabhjot Singh alias Prabh, and Gurtej Singh and seized 4.20 kg of heroin from the possession of two of the accused, in Ludhiana district.
10-Jan-2026
Khanna police, in separate incidents, arrested nine other drug peddlers and recovered 245 grams of heroin from them in Ludhiana district on January 10.
10-Jan-2026
The second phase of the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” (War Against Drugs) campaign was launched in Tarn Taran district on January 10, covering all four Assembly constituencies—Tarn Taran, Patti, Khemkaran, and Khadoor Sahib. Volunteers of the Nasha Mukti Morcha and representatives of Village Defence Committees (VDCs) held meetings in villages and took out foot marches to raise awareness against drug abuse.
09-Jan-2026
On January 9, Punjab Police, on day 314 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 62 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 82 drug smugglers and seized 1.4 kg of heroin, 10 kg of poppy husk, 710 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 4230 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.
09-Jan-2026
Special Director General of Police (Intelligence) PK Sinha has directed Nabha Jail authorities in Patiala district to enhance security for senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia. According to a letter to the jail authorities, Pakistan-based terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) has planned to target Majithia, based on inputs received from central intelligence agencies.
09-Jan-2026
Police on January 9 arrested a man, identified as Gurjinder Singh and seized 100 grams of heroin and INR 18,000 drug money near the railway crossing in Nawanshahr in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district.
09-Jan-2026
Police on January 9 arrested a man, Ranjit Singh alias Jwanda and seized 400 grams of heroin from him in Rahon in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district.
09-Jan-2026
Two masked motorcycle-borne youths on the night of January 9 opened fire outside a beauty salon over an extortion demand, injuring a woman, identified as Kashish, in Jandiala Guru, Amritsar district. Police said the attackers fired multiple shots at the salon run by Kuldeep and his wife Kashish before fleeing, brandishing a pistol. Preliminary investigations revealed the couple had received an extortion call from an unknown foreign WhatsApp number on January 3 demanding INR 1 crore, which they ignored without reporting to police.
08-Jan-2026
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on January 8 said the Punjab government would launch a “full-scale war against gangsters,” on the lines of the Yudh Nashian Virudh (War Against Drugs) campaign, while meeting newly elected local body members with Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann in Ludhiana. He said that after drugs, the government would take on gangsters and dismantle their networks across Punjab, asserting that none would be spared.
08-Jan-2026
On January 8, Punjab Police, on day 313 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 82 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 98 drug smugglers and seized 1.04 kg of heroin, 7 kg of ganja, 105 quintals of poppy husk, 20,900 intoxicant tablets/capsules and INR 14,070 drug money from the possession of arrested persons, across the state.