KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 01-Jan-2014
Narcotic smuggling has increased across the India-Pakistan frontier with the BSF recorded its highest seizure of drugs in recent years, netting over 322 kilograms of heroin in 2013 that would be worth over INR 16.10 billion in the international market.
India 14-Jan-2014
According to BSF data, there has been an increase in narcotics smuggling, especially heroin in International Border in Punjab sharing with Pakistan. In 2012, 289 kgs of heroin were seized, while in 2013, 322 kgs were seized. As far as FICN is concerned, the seizure in 2013 was around INR 5.2 million, while in 2012 it stood at INR 4.62 million. Along with those 312 rounds of ammunition has been seized in 2013 in comparison to 264 in 2012. A senior BSF official said Pakistani couriers easily develop relations with farmers and lure them with a huge commission for supplying the consignment. The BSF officials maintained that Pakistani mobile phone sim cards also help farmers in safely communicating with the Pakistani smugglers.
India 16-Jan-2014
BSF and Ferozepur Police have seized one kg heroin, a pistol and cartridges near the Border Out Post (BOP) of Dona Telu Mal, close to the IB in Ferozepur Sector of same District.
India 17-Jan-2014
The Sikh militant Jagtar Singh Tara, killer of former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Beant Singh and chief of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) who was extradited from Thailand on January 16, was remanded in five days’ Police custody by a court in Patiala (Punjab) in connection with the murder of Rulda Singh, the chief of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. Tara was brought by a team of Punjab Police after being extradited from Bangkok. Tara had escaped from jail along with Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora, and Devi Singh. Hawara and Bheora were later arrested, but Tara and Devi Singh reportedly fled to Pakistan. According to Thailand authorities, Tara entered Thailand as Gurmeet Singh on a Pakistan passport in October and was arrested in the Eastern Province of Chon Buri living in the home of a Pakistani national who has also been taken into custody.
India 19-Jan-2014
BSF personnel seized one pistol, one magazine, seven rounds, one country-made pistol, a mobile phone, and a Pakistan SIM card along with 17 kilograms of heroin valued INR 850 million after an encounter with Pakistani smugglers on the Indo-Pak border in Punjab's Amritsar district.
India 21-Jan-2014
BSF troops deployed in the area of Border Out Post (BOP) Naushera Dhalla in Amritsar shot dead three Pakistani smugglers and recovered 20-kilogram narcotics and ammunition. In another incident in the Ferozpur sector, BSF recovered 16-kilogram heroin and ammunition during the search operation that followed the gun battle. BSF had recovered 2 Pistols, 3 Magazines 17 rounds of ammunition and 1 Pak mobile phone with Pak SIM card besides 36 packets of heroin in Amritsar and Ferozpur sectors.
India 02-Feb-2014
Several pro-Khalistan terror outfits are plotting to attack Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, and state DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, according to eight terror alerts that were issued by the IB in 2013. The alerts mention that the terror outfits have the "military and financial" support of Pakistan's spy agency, ISI. The most recent alert, dated December 3, 2013, from the office of the UMHA reports the terror outfit KLF had been assigned the task to eliminate Saini. "The ammunition, including a suicide jacket, has been pushed into the Indian territory via Rajasthan border and has reached Chandigarh” the alert said.
India 03-Feb-2014
Khalistani terror groups have now found a new ally in JeM ‘chief’ Maulana Masood Azhar to foment trouble in India and to keep alive their demand for separate statehood. Azhar is leading a campaign along with Khalistanis to target senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, according to an Intelligence Bureau (IB) alert. According to a UMHA secret document, dated October 14, 2013 states that "Pakistan spy agency ISI recently held a meeting of Khalistan militant outfits and asked them to chart a broad outline of their plan". The terror groups that participated in the meeting included BKI ‘chief’ Wadhwa Singh, KZF head Ranjit Singh Neeta, KCF ‘chief’ Paramjit Singh Panjwa, KTF ‘chief’ Jagtar Singh Tara, ISYF ‘chief’ Lakhbir Singh Rode and KLF ‘chief’ Harminder Singh Mintu.
India 04-Feb-2014
A joint note prepared by UMHA and Punjab Police has revealed that over 30 Khalistani militants are staying in the UK. The note, dated September 30, 2013, said that Jagtar Singh Tara, whose terror group KTF had claimed responsibility for RDX explosives recovered from a car in Ambala in October 2011, that was meant to target 1984 riot-tainted Sajjan Kumar, is the new face of Sikh extremists. "There has been a cleavage and parting of ways between BKI chief Wadhwa Singh and Jagtar Singh Tara, who is heading KTF. In the UK and also in countries like Germany, the BKI sympathizers and supporters have started gravitating towards Tara at the cost of Wadhwa Singh," the note added. The note points out those Khalistan sympathizers, with the support of ISI, are frequently visiting Pakistan to meet Tara, who has based himself near Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and BKI chief Wadhwa Singh is now losing his sway in Europe and the UK.
India 11-Feb-2014
Custom officials in Amritsar recovered 34 live cartridges along with 12.8 kilograms of heroin and 150-gram opium concealed in the hose pipe of a goods train that was about to leave for Pakistan.
United Kingdom 16-Feb-2014
The UK in its consolidated list of organizations involved in terror activities or terror financing brought out on February 14, 2014, has named ISYF, HM, Babbar Khalsa and Khalistan Zindabad as organizations that require total financial sanctions.
India 24-Feb-2014
An Army trooper, Sepoy Harmeet Singh, posted in the 73 Armoured units at Hisar (Haryana) cantonment was sent to judicial custody following his arrest on February 20 for allegedly transporting illegal weapons to KLF militants.
India 11-Mar-2014
BSF personnel seized a cache of arms and ammunition in the Amritsar sector of Punjab along with 41 kg of heroin worth an estimated INR 2.05 billion. The consignment was being allegedly smuggled into India from Pakistan in two attempts, sources said. The first incident happened near the Rattan Khurd Border Outpost, where 40 packets of heroin, a pistol, three pistol magazines, and a mobile phone and charger of Pakistani make along with 18 rounds of ammunition were recovered. In the second incident, the BSF party picked up a consignment in the Daoke Border Post area in the same sector which was found to be a packet of the same contraband, the officer added.
India 15-Mar-2014
The Delhi Police in its charge sheet filed against alleged LeT operative Abdul Karim Tunda said that a nexus has been surfaced between Dawood Ibrahim and banned militant groups like LeT, IM and Babbar Khalsa International.
India 26-Mar-2014
BSF troops recovered a pistol, ammunition and six packets of narcotic drugs from the Bhikiwind Sector of the Amritsar frontier along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
India 26-Mar-2014
Special Operations Cell of Punjab Police arrested a person, Lovedeep Singh acting as a spy for Pakistani ISI and recovered photographs of restricted areas, restricted Army manuals and a hand-made sketch of military installations. He was working as a clerk in Army cantonment in Faridkot (Faridkot District). Preliminary questioning showed he was engaged by the ISI about 18 months back and was providing them with information with regard to movement of Army units in Faridkot, Ferozepur and Fazilka sectors, construction of new bunkers on Indian side of the border, photographs of army vehicles along with their formation signs, army exercises, and training, besides any new activity/construction works in these sectors.
India 01-Apr-2014
BSF seized arms and ammunition along with 27-kilogram heroin valued around INR 1.35 billion in the international market in the Abohar sector (Fazilka District). The narcotic and ammunition were seized at border outpost Khanpur in the Abohar sector. BSF had also recovered 500 g opium, 42 rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones, and two Pakistani SIM cards.
India 03-Apr-2014
Arms and ammunition along with heroin worth INR 650 million were seized by BSF personnel at border outpost Mullakot, Amritsar sector on the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab. The consignment had 13 packets of heroin; one.30 bore pistol, two magazines, and 24 rounds.
India 20-Apr-2014
Ahead of polling in areas along the borders of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the UMHA alerted Security Forces to step up vigil due to fears that FICN and drugs could be smuggled into India and supplied to voters.
India 12-May-2014
SFs so far in 2014 have recovered approximately 244 kilograms of heroin from the International Border in Punjab, along with FICN with a face value of INR 4, 00,000, 12 arms, 20 magazines, and opium. Apart from these, a few Indian smugglers and Bangladeshi citizens have also been arrested from the borders.
India 25-May-2014
Punjab Police booked 54 criminals for allegedly having links with Pakistani smugglers across the border. All the accused were booked under various sections of the (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) NDPS, Arms, Indian Passport and Foreigner Act in two different Police Stations of Amritsar, the accused smuggled toxic substances like heroin, smack, and opium and had links with smugglers in Pakistan. None of them have, however, been arrested.
India 04-Jun-2014
Agencies have received fresh inputs about Jagtar Singh Tara of KTF and Lakhvir Singh Rode of ISYF coming together to smuggle in explosives from across the border and provide logistics to target BJP leaders. The agencies have also received fresh information about two groups of 10-15 militants belonging to the KCF planning attacks on PM Narendra Modi and other top leaders of the RSS and BJP. A meeting to target Modi was held recently in Islamabad which was attended by Dr. Khalid Rashid and Mohammad Ghalib from the UK, Azmat Khan from JKLF and Wadhwa Singh of BKI.
India 05-Jun-2014
A note of IB revealed how ISI coroneted banned KTF 'chief' Jagtar Singh Tara as the new 'chief' of the global Khalistan movement to "renew aggression". The note, dated September 30, 2013, said that ISI has announced a parting of ways with KTF and another banned militant outfit BKI. The IB note also revealed that Tara has made his new residence at a place near the revered Sikh shrine Nankana Sahib.
India 09-Jul-2014
BSF seized FICN with a face value of INR 7, 83,000 along with four kilograms of heroin near a border outpost in Attari of Amritsar District (Punjab) along the Indo-Pakistan border. BSF Punjab Frontier has issued operational guidelines to strengthen border to check narcotics smuggling because of ongoing cultivation and monsoon season, and also to check the activities of anti-national elements along Punjab border with Pakistan.
India 04-Aug-2014
Punjab Police with the assistance of Jammu Police arrested four militants of KZF and KLF from Miran Sahib in Simbal Camp of RS Pura area in Jammu District (J&K). The arrested militants were identified as Harpreet Singh alias Harmeet Singh alias Pintu, Karanjit Singh alias Pamma, Swaran Singh alias Shabba and Jasmeet Singh. Police recovered three Pakistani SIM cards, four Pakistani mobile telephones and half a dozen local SIM cards from the possession of arrested militants.
Pakistan 04-Aug-2014
The investigations have revealed that activities of KZF, which is headed by Jammu’s Ranjit Singh Neeta, now based in Sialkot of Punjab province in Pakistan and KLF headed by Harminder Singh alias Mintu of Punjab, also in Pakistan, were being funded and coordinated by militant elements based in Spain and England.
India 05-Aug-2014
Punjab local court remanded nine days Police custody to three militants of KZF and KLF, who were arrested by Punjab Police in assistance with Jammu Police on August 4 from Miran Sahib in Simbal Camp of RS Pura area in Jammu District. The three Harpreet Singh alias Harmeet Singh alias Pintu, Karanjit Singh alias Pamma and Swaran Singh Shabba were booked under sections 17,18, 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and sections 153-A,121 and 120-B of the IPC and sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act.
India 09-Sep-2014
KZF operative Dilbagh Singh who was arrested in Guwahati (Assam) was trying to explore possibilities of procuring weapons from the North East region. Easy availability of illegal weapons in the North East has become a matter of grave concern and now Khalistani militant groups have also started eyeing the region to procure weapons. The KZF still has a presence in Punjab and Jammu areas and the ‘chief’ of the outfit, Ranjit Singh Neeta is now out of the country and his whereabouts are not known. But there have been inputs that he has been trying to revive the outfit and the efforts to procure weapons might be a part of the plan to revive the same.
India 17-Sep-2014
Lahore-based BKI militant outfit's de facto ‘chief’ Ratandeep Singh, who had only last year replaced ailing Wadhwa Singh as the BKI head and was sent by ISI, was arrested by Punjab Police. He was sent to India as Hussain Sheikh Zahid (son of Sheikh Nasiruddin) and was arrested by the SSOC team of Punjab Police near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. He was sent to 10-day Police remand by an Amritsar court.
India 25-Sep-2014
Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested three people from Delhi and Amritsar in a narcotics-related hawala racket. The ED raids in Delhi and Amritsar were based on information provided by Australian authorities who were trailing the network. ED sources said simultaneous and synchronized action taken at four premises in Amritsar and five premises in Delhi led to the arrest of two drug traffickers, Paramdeep Singh Arora and Gagandeep Singh Arora in Amritsar, and hawala operator Gaurav Gupta in Delhi.
Thailand 27-Oct-2014
Thailand Government issued a lookout notice for Jagtar Singh Tara, a top BKI militant, on India’s request. This is part of the Centre’s urgent crackdown on what is being termed as re-configuration and likely impetus to Punjab militancy with help from across the border. However, there is a bit of confusion on whether Tara is in Malaysia or Thailand, with sources pointing out that the border between the two countries is porous. A Thailand military Internal Security Operations Command Region (ISOC) official said border control units have been instructed to screen visitors and Tara’s photos were also posted on local police’s wanted list. The main town on the Thai-Malaysian border Su-ngai Kolok had been specifically alerted. For India, Tara will be an important catch as he is increasingly seen as being projected as the top leader of BKI by his Pakistan ISI handlers, replacing Wadhwa Singh with whom he has had a rift over the years. According to Indian security agencies, the ISI had always used Thailand as a terror hub, especially to channel FICN. In July, three Pakistani nationals were arrested near the Pakistan embassy in Bangkok with FICN worth INR 150000.
India 02-Nov-2014
BSF seized one pistol, 30 live rounds, three Pakistani mobile phones and four SIM cards along with 22 packets of 22 kilogram of heroin, valued at around INR 1.10 billion and 20 gram of opium, after gun battle with Pakistani smugglers, in which one smuggler from Indian side, Tasveer Singh died and other two Balwinder Singh and Fateh Singh were injured.
India 03-Nov-2014
BSF recovered 22 kilograms of heroin close to the India-Pakistan border near Ulloke village of Ferozepur District. Disclosing this, BSF received inputs regarding smuggling from the area around the Ulloke border outpost, following which security was intensified in the area.
India 04-Nov-2014
Heroin seizures by BSF troops in Punjab have increased. BSF has recorded its highest seizure of drugs in recent years along the India-Pakistan international border. In over 10 months, BSF has seized over 328.6 kilograms of heroin valued at INR 16.50 billion (about USD 270 million) in the international market. The seizure, till November 3, is even higher than the previous all-time high of 322 kilograms recovered in 2013 along the 553-kilometer International Border between India and Pakistan. A total of 44-kilogram heroin has been seized in the first three days of this month alone. Previously, in 2012, BSF had recovered 288-kilogram heroin in the Punjab sector, comprising the frontier districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka. The seizure of heroin made by the BSF in 2011 was just 68 kilograms. The seizure was 115 kilograms in 2010, 120 kilograms in 2009 and 100 kilograms in 2008, officials said. The drug network operates along the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India route.
India 06-Nov-2014
Top KTF militant, Ramandeep Singh alias Goldy wanted for April 20, 2010, Patiala blast and the murder of Rulda Singh, head of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat on July 28, 2009, was arrested by Punjab Police in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) after he was deported by Malaysian authorities.
India 07-Nov-2014
Punjab Police arrested ‘chief’ of KLF, Harminder Singh alias Mintoo and his key operative Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi. Police tracked and located the two in Thailand and coordinated with central agencies and Thai authorities. Mintoo, was running active modules among Khalistani militants outside India, was arrested from Delhi airport. The arrest location of Gopi is still not specified. He was wanted in 10 terror offenses filed in Punjab.
India 07-Nov-2014
The central investigation agencies are not only looking into alleged KTF militant Ramandeep Singh Goldy's role in Patiala and Ambala bomb blasts in 2010 and the killing of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat chief Rulda Singh in 2009 but also whether he was in touch with former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh's assassin Jagtar Singh Tara during his stay in Thailand and Malaysia.
India 09-Nov-2014
Police arrested BKI militant Ramandeep Singh alias Sunny, from Cantonment Road in Bathinda, and recovered 200 grams explosive material, a timer, battery, wire, a pistol .32 bore and five letter heads of BKI. A case under the UAPA, Explosives Act and Arms Act has been registered against him at Bathinda kotwali Police Station. The arrested militant has reportedly been guided by Pakistan's ISI. Ramandeep also confessed that Babbar Khalsa militant Jagtar Singh Tara has floated a wing, KTF, and is recruiting youths to carry out militant activities in India. He had also spent a month in Thailand and Malaysia in April-May, 2014. Ramandeep was allured on Facebook by militants and BKI sources had sent him money from Europe through money transfer service. An unspecified amount of money was sent to him through a money transfer firm and he was asked to report in Thailand, while ISI agents provided him training. He had returned in May and was to conduct trails of bomb detonation. Bathinda zone IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal said, "During initial investigations, Ramandeep has confessed that he got training in making bombs and was to conduct a trial explosion at a secluded place."
India 13-Nov-2014
BTKF militant Rattandeep Singh recorded a confession statement about his involvement in the bomb blast at Sector 34, on June 30, 1999, and named Pakistan-based Sikh militant, Paramjeet Singh Panjwar, for masterminding the blast. Singh, in his confession statement, also claimed that most fugitive militants settled in European countries and Pakistan have been indulging in drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Singh disclosed that the recently held Jasbir Singh aka Jassa had got him INR 1, 00,000 before executing the blast. Sources in the operations cell said, "During interrogation, Rattandeep narrated the pathetic condition of extremists based in Pakistan and other foreign countries. Panjwar, head of KCF, is now a builder in Pakistan and under the acute pressure of ISI to revive terrorism in Punjab." He also disclosed his links with Pakistan-based head of KZF, Ranjit Singh Neeta.
India 31-Dec-2014
India's BSF seized 361 kilograms of heroin in 2014 on the border with Pakistan in Punjab. The seizure, according to BSF officials, is worth over USD 286 million in the international market. The seizures (till December 30, 2014, are higher than the previous record of 322 kilograms recovered in 2013 along the barbed wire fenced 553-km border between India and Pakistan in Punjab. In 2012, the BSF recovered 288-kilogram heroin in the Punjab sector, comprising the frontier districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, and Fazilka.