KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
11-Jul-2025
According to sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the draft Bill proposing stricter punishment for sacrilege is likely to be tabled in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on July 14 or 15, once it is finalised and approved by the Council of Ministers.
11-Jul-2025
Police on July 11 arrested a drug peddler, identified as Bikramjit Singh, and seized a 9mm Austrian-made Glock pistol and a Pakistan-made ‘star mark’ pistol from his possession near Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar district. He sustained a bullet injury to his leg during a brief encounter while attempting to flee. Singh is the prime accused in a June 11 firing incident near Neshta village, linked to the recovery of 5 kg of heroin.
11-Jul-2025
Kapurthala Police on July 11 arrested two individuals, identified as Ramandeep Singh alias Raman and Daljit Singh alias Baba, and seized three imported 9mm pistols, two .32-bore pistols, one .32-bore revolver, a .12-bore gun, a large quantity of ammunition, and two vehicles from their possession near Mand Dhilwan village in Kapurthala district. Ramandeep Singh sustained a bullet injury to his leg while attempting to escape during the recovery operation and is currently under medical observation at Kapurthala Civil Hospital.
10-Jul-2025
Police on July 10 demolished the house and property of a drug peddler, identified as Saurav Partap alias Sunny, in the Kot Khalsa area of Amritsar district, Punjab. Authorities stated that the house was constructed using drug money and was in violation of municipal building bylaws. The property was registered in the name of his wife, Savita Partap. Sunny, who is currently absconding, has around 25 criminal cases against him, including several under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. His daughter, Muskan, and brother, Aditya Partap, were also arrested on similar charges following the recovery of 6 kg of opium, 8 kg of heroin, 2 kg of a chemical used in heroin manufacturing, and a pistol.
10-Jul-2025
On July 10, Punjab Police, on day 131 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, registered 92 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 129 drug smugglers and seized 4.2 kg of heroin, 509 grams of opium and INR 23,370 drug money from their possession, across Punjab.
10-Jul-2025
Amritsar city police on July 10 arrested a Hawala racketeer, identified as Laxman alias Lucky, in connection with the 60 kg of heroin seizure made on June 30, in Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Laxman claimed he was unaware that the funds he transferred were linked to the drug trade, stating he acted on instructions from his employer with ties to Dubai, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
10-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 10 arrested a gangster, identified as Amritpal Singh and seized one country-made pistol with magazine and two cartridges from his possession, in Patti city in Tarn Taran district.
10-Jul-2025
On July 10, during the first day of the special session of the Punjab Assembly in Chandigarh, political leaders across party lines addressed the alleged involvement of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in the murder of Abohar-based businessman Sanjay Verma. Outside the House, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of shielding Bishnoi for political gain. Cheema alleged that the BJP was using criminal elements to destabilise opposition-ruled states and claimed that the Gujarat government was protecting Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. In response, BJP and Congress leaders blamed the AAP government for Punjab’s deteriorating law and order situation.
10-Jul-2025
On July 10, security was heightened outside comedian Kapil Sharma’s residence in Mumbai, Maharashtra, following the shooting incident at his newly opened café in Surrey, Canada. Mumbai Police personnel were deployed in the Oshiwara area as a precautionary measure.
10-Jul-2025
Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Gagret, Rakesh Kalia, on July 11 lodged a police complaint after receiving a threatening phone call on the evening of July 10 from the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The caller, who identified himself as the head of SFJ, threatened to assassinate both Kalia and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and claimed that the state would be turned into Khalistan. According to police officials, the threat was made to Kalia’s personal phone.
09-Jul-2025
On July 9, Gurjeet Singh Khalsa marked the 272nd day of his tower-top protest demanding stringent anti-sacrilege laws in Punjab, in Samana in Patiala district. Khalsa’s campaign has catalysed widespread support, prompting the state government to draft the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Act, 2025. The revised draft, submitted on July 3, awaits the governor’s assent, as public pressure mounts in light of Khalsa’s deteriorating health.
09-Jul-2025
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on July 9 foiled a terror plot orchestrated by Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harwinder Rinda, and recovered two AK-47 rifles and 16 cartridges, two magazines and two PS-86 hand grenades near Gazikot village in Gurdaspur district.
09-Jul-2025
The Delhi Government announced a grand commemoration of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom at the Red Fort in November, 2025, the first such event at the historic site, in New Delhi. The two-day tribute will include a light and sound show, Kirtan Darbar, exhibitions, and academic outreach.
09-Jul-2025
The Delhi Police have cleared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a case related to his remarks on the condition of Sikhs in India, made during a speech in the United States (US) in September 2024. After reviewing the content of the speech, police concluded that Gandhi's comments did not target any specific community or constitute a cognisable offence. They further noted that the speech was delivered outside India and thus fell beyond their jurisdiction, effectively closing the case.
09-Jul-2025
Police on July 9 arrested a woman, identified as Kirandeep Kaur and seized 28 grams of heroin from her possession, during a search at Kapurthala Modern Jail in Kapurthala district.
09-Jul-2025
On July 9, Punjab Police, on day 130 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 105 First Information Reports (FIRs), arrested 142 drug smugglers and seized 3.5 kg of heroin, 1.5 kg of opium, and INR 1.19 lakh in drug money from their possession, across Punjab.
09-Jul-2025
Kapurthala police on July 9 arrested a woman, identified as Meeko and seized 40 grams of heroin from her possession, near Lakhan Kalan village in Kapurthala district.
09-Jul-2025
Subhanpur police on July 9 arrested two individuals, identified as Varinder Singh alias Mangli and his associate Ravipal, and seized 40 grams of heroin from their possession, near Subhanpur chowk in Subhanpur village in Kapurthala district.
09-Jul-2025
According to police sources, extortion in Punjab is being driven by organised crime networks led by gangsters such as Lawrence Bishnoi, Satinderjit Singh Brar alias Goldy Brar, and Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala. These groups operate through encrypted communication apps, hawala channels, and international safe havens, and are involved in extortion, contract killings, and drug trafficking—often in collaboration with banned terrorist organisations. A series of recent high-profile cases has underscored the surge in gang-related violence, prompting Punjab Police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) to intensify enforcement operations.
09-Jul-2025
Jaipur Police on July 9 busted an international gold smuggling network, and arrested three operatives identified as Suraj Gurjar, Imran, and Bhawani Singh, and seized crucial evidence linking the network to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, including details of a 12.467 kg gold consignment smuggled through Jaipur Airport, in Jaipur in Rajasthan. The accused used extortion funds to purchase gold abroad, smuggled it into India, and sold it at inflated prices to finance criminal activities across multiple Indian states and foreign countries, with proceeds used to acquire weapons, fund fugitives, and buy benami properties.
09-Jul-2025
Kap’s Café, a newly opened restaurant owned by popular Indian comedian and actor Kapil Sharma, came under gunfire attack on July 9 in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. At least eight shots were fired at the premises while staff were inside; however, no injuries were reported. A Khalistani terrorist identified as Harjit Singh Laddi—an operative of the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)—claimed responsibility for the attack, citing alleged remarks by Sharma about Nihangs as the motive.
08-Jul-2025
Police on July 8 revealed that two accused facilitators in the murder of Abohar businessman Sanjay Verma—identified as Jaspreet Singh and Ram Rattan—were killed in cross-firing during a weapon recovery operation near Peer Tibba in Abohar, Fazilka district, Punjab. A .30 bore pistol and several empty shells were recovered from the scene.
08-Jul-2025
Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of operating on a foundation of 'lies and corruption' and alleged that the party has links to banned separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in an interview with IANS on July 8. Referring to Pannun’s public claims of having provided large sums of money to Kejriwal, Sirsa criticised the AAP leader’s failure to issue any denial or clarification.
08-Jul-2025
Police on July 8 arrested a key operative of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, identified as Himanshu Sood, and seized a .30 bore PX3 pistol with four live cartridges and a .32 pistol with three live cartridges from his possession in Amritsar district. Acting on the directions of Dubai-based handler Namit Sharma, Sood was allegedly involved in a recent firing incident in Haridwar and had been tasked with carrying out further attacks in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Kapurthala.
08-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 8 busted an international drug cartel by arresting six drug smugglers—identified as Lakhvir Singh, Rohit Kumar, Gurcharan Singh, Akash Marwaha, Ranjodh Singh, and Prabhjot Singh—and seizing 40 kg of heroin and a car from their possession near Mehna Chowk in Bathinda district. Preliminary investigations suggest the consignment was sent by Pakistan-based handlers for distribution across Punjab.