KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
08-Jul-2025
On July 8, Punjab Police, on day 129 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 84 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 111 drug smugglers and seized 41.3 kg of heroin, 1.7 kg of opium and INR 23,980 drug money from their possession, accorss Punjab.
08-Jul-2025
Police on July 8 arrested a youth, identified as Mohit, and seized 500 grams of heroin from his possession near Mubarikpur in Dera Bassi in Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar district in Punjab. Police revealed that Mohit was residing as a tenant in Zirakpur and allegedly involved in heroin supply across Zirakpur and Dera Bassi areas.
08-Jul-2025
Member of Parliament (MP) Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa marked his first year in the 18th Lok Sabha with what he described as mixed feelings, stating in an interview with Hindustan Times that some members appeared reluctant to allow him to speak, fearing he would raise only radical issues. Khalsa expressed dissatisfaction with the limited number of Lok Sabha sittings, arguing that important public concerns often go unheard. Emphasising the need for systemic reform, he asserted that every MP should be guaranteed time to speak.
07-Jul-2025
Border Security Force (BSF) on July 7 recovered a pistol with a magazine from a farming field near Daoke village in Amritsar district.
07-Jul-2025
Former Congress Member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar on July 7 recorded his statement before a Delhi court in connection with two cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Janakpuri and Vikaspuri, in New Delhi. Denying all charges, Kumar claimed he was being falsely implicated and accused investigation agencies of bias.
07-Jul-2025
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, in an interview with ANI, described Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as a Pakistani agent funded by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), alleging that Pannun thrives on media attention and that Pakistan sponsors anti-India protests abroad. Responding to political questions, Sirsa dismissed the claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lacks Sikh support, citing his own electoral victory as evidence. He also criticised the Congress for its role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
07-Jul-2025
Jalandhar Rural Police on July 7 arrested two gangsters, identified as Ajay alias Baja and Lakhwinder Singh, and seized 110 narcotic pills, two .32 bore pistols, five cartridges, and a motorcycle from their possession, in Shahkot, Jalandhar district, following a brief encounter. The duo, wanted in multiple cases of extortion, robbery, and attempted murder, opened fire on the police before being injured and hospitalised. Preliminary investigations revealed they were acting under the direction of handlers Joginder Joga, Navdeep Kahlwan, and Jarmanjit Singh, based in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US).
07-Jul-2025
On July 7, Punjab Police, on day 128 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 78 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 110 drug smugglers and seized 3.8 kg of heroin, 5 kg of opium and 906 kg of poppy husk from their possession, across Punjab.
07-Jul-2025
On July 7, three unidentified individuals hurled petrol bombs at the gate of a house in causing a fire in Gandhi Mohalla in Jalandhar in Jalandhar district in Punjab. The house owner Hansraj’s wife, Parminder Kaur, said she was inside with her younger son when the attack occurred. CCTV footage captured the suspects setting fuel-filled bottles alight before throwing them at the property.
07-Jul-2025
On July 7, Sanjay Verma, a renowned cloth merchant, was shot dead in broad daylight outside his showroom in Abohar, Fazilka district, Punjab, in a suspected gang-linked extortion case. Gangster Aarzoo Bishnoi, an associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, later claimed responsibility for the killing through a social media post.
07-Jul-2025
Police on July 7 arrested Lovjit Kaur, the sister-in-law of notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria while she was attempting to flee to Australia, at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar district in Punjab. She had been named in a recent murder case linked to gangster Gurpreet Singh alias Gora Bariar, and a Lookout Circular had been issued against her.
07-Jul-2025
According to sources, in a major revelation during his custodial interrogation, 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana, who was extradited from the United States (US) on April 10, 2025, confessed to being a trusted asset of the Pakistan Army and admitted to conducting reconnaissance for the Mumbai attacks. He confirmed the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in planning and executing the 2008 terror strike.
06-Jul-2025
Police on July 6 arrested three individuals, identified as Gurlal Singh, Khushpreet Singh and Gurmandeep Singh, following a gunfight, in attempted murder case of a Moga doctor Dr Aniljeet Kamboj, and seized two .30 bore pistols with 10 cartridges, one .32 bore pistol with three cartridges and a car from their possession, in Moga in Moga district.
06-Jul-2025
Police on July 6 arrested an individual, identified as Gurpreet Singh Ranian and seized 100 kg of poppy husk from his possession, near Ranian village in Ludhiana district
06-Jul-2025
Police on July 6 arrested two individuals, identified as Bikram and Karan Kumar, and seized 150 grams of heroin from their possession, in Sudhar in Ludhiana district.
06-Jul-2025
Jamalpur police on July 6 arrested an individual, identified as Sunny Kumar and seized 7 grams of heroin from his possession, near Pahruwal village in Ludhiana district.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Giani Raghbir Singh, the estranged former head granthi of the Golden Temple, extended support to acting Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj amid ongoing tensions with the 'Panj Pyaras' of Takht Patna Sahib, in Amritsar district. Singh, who had distanced himself from his successor after being removed as Jathedar, honoured Giani Gargaj with a robe of honour and prasad at the Golden Temple. The Akal Takht secretariat described the gesture as a show of support for Gargaj’s authority and a rejection of the Patna Sahib edict declaring Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal guilty of religious misconduct.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, the decomposed body of 26-year-old kabaddi player Gurbhej Singh was found within the Shahkot police station complex in Jalandhar district. He had been reported missing since July 4. Police suggested that his death may have resulted from an insect or snake bite. However, Gurbhej’s family and some observers have alleged foul play and suspect a possible cover-up.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), led by Tarsem Singh—the father of jailed Khalistani radical preacher and Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament (MP) Amritpal Singh—announced its intention to contest the upcoming Tarn Taran assembly by-election. The party is reportedly in talks with Paramjit Kaur Khalra, widow of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, as a potential candidate. While Tarsem Singh stated that a final decision has not yet been made, he expressed confidence in strong public support, citing Amritpal Singh’s recent electoral victory in Khadoor Sahib.
06-Jul-2025
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Ravinder Singh, raised alarm over the deepening divisions within the Sikh community—particularly among the Takht Jathedars—and called for the restoration of Panthic leadership through a transparent, collective 'Panchayat'-style model rooted in Sikh ideals. In a statement, he urged the Panth to refocus on the central authority of Akal Takht Sahib and warned that failure to return to core values could lead to the permanent weakening of Sikh leadership.
06-Jul-2025
Punjab Police on July 6 arrested a mother-son duo, identified as Charanjit Kaur and her son Balwinder Singh, and seized 1.8 kg of heroin, two mobile phones, and a motorcycle from their possession in Nihale Wale village, Ferozepur district. Police revealed that the family was operating a heroin smuggling racket with links to Pakistan, and one of Kaur’s other sons is already in jail on similar charges.
06-Jul-2025
Amritsar Rural Police on July 6 arrested one individual, identified as Ravinder Singh and seized 1.227 kg of ICE drug (methamphetamine), a Glock pistol, an unregistered Hyundai i20 car and a mobile phone from his possession, near Jagdev Khurd village in Ajnala in Amritsar district. Police stated that Ravinder Singh and his associate, Armandeep Singh, who managed to escaped, were linked to Pakistani smugglers and involved in large-scale drug trafficking.
06-Jul-2025
On July 6, Punjab Police on day 127 of its “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign registered 105 first information reports (FIRs), arrested 143 drug smugglers and seized 3.5 kg of heroin, 1.5 kg of opium and INR 54,750 drug money from their possession, across Punjab.
06-Jul-2025
Moga Police, in a joint operation with the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Counter-Intelligence (CI), on July 6, arrested three unidentified operatives of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa’s gang and seized two .30 bore pistols with 10 live cartridges, one .32 bore pistol with three live cartridges, and a car from their possession in Moga district. The arrests foiled a plot to assassinate Dr. Aniljeet Kamboj.
06-Jul-2025
According to sources, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by Takht Patna Sahib, one of Sikhism's five highest temporal seats, for repeatedly ignoring summons and allegedly interfering in its internal affairs. The announcement was made by Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh after Badal failed to appear before the Panj Pyaras despite being summoned twice—in late May and again in mid-June 2025. In response, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami criticised the decision as an overreach, stating that Takht Patna Sahib had acted beyond its jurisdiction and risked sowing confusion and discord within the Sikh community.