KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 17-Apr-2020
Mohali Police arrested Punjabi singer Gurinder Singh, popularly known as Vadda Grewal for possessing 30 gm of opium from a private hospital in Sohana in SAS Nagar district. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ramandeep said that “The singer was undergoing treatment following drug overdose. We recovered 30-gm opium from his possession and registered a case in this regard.”
India 17-Apr-2020
The Kapurthala district Police, in its concerted drive against drug smugglers in Kapurthala district, attached property worth Rs 2,95,61,625 of six drug peddlers with immediate effect. The decision was taken as per guidelines issued by office of competent authority, Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act - SAFEM (FOP) Act, and Section 68F (2) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act - NDPS Act, 1985.
Canada 17-Apr-2020
According to a news report of Global News (Canada), “Indian intelligence agencies attempted to use money and disinformation to ‘covertly influence’ Canadian politicians, according to a highly sensitive government document”. The report said, “Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Indian Intelligence were allegedly behind the operation, which began in 2009”.
Canada 17-Apr-2020
The President of the World Sikh Organization (WSO) of Canada, Tejinder Singh Sidhu said that WSO is deeply disturbed by a report published by Global News revealing that Indian intelligence agencies attempted to use money and disinformation to ‘covertly influence’ Canadian politicians. He accused that “Indian intelligence agencies have a long history of using media and planted stories to negatively portray Sikhs in Canada. Sikhs have long suffered from the consequences of this foreign interference”. “The WSO has regularly raised the issue of Indian espionage and interference in Canada with the federal government. We call on the federal government to take immediate steps to clamp down on Indian espionage here in Canada and to ensure that the Canadians can live free from the machinations of foreign governments,” he added.
Pakistan 18-Apr-2020
Domes of the newly renovated Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara was collapsed due to a thunderstorm and high-speed winds in the area of the holy site's location in Punjab in Pakistan. According to reports, the domes were allegedly not even constructed with cement and iron but with plaster-of-paris material. After the embarrassing incident, the Sikh community has expressed disappointment with the way construction was done in Pakistan
India 19-Apr-2020
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that during the curfew period, more than 26,000 drug addicts have been registered under the de-addiction programme in the state. He said that a special campaign is being launched to register new patients under the programme on the directives of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. According to the data available with the state health department, 4.14 lakh addicts were registered with it. These included 1.55 lakh at Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres, 2.15 lakh in de-addiction centres and more than 30,000 in rehabilitation centres before the lockdown. Now the figure is 4.40 lakh, an increase of 26,000 patients in OOAT centres, the data reveals. The highest increase is in Ludhiana 2,600, followed by Moga 2,200, Mohali 1,800, Patiala 1,600 and Sangrur 1,300.
India 19-Apr-2020
India has questioned Pakistan on the ‘deficiencies’ in building Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, as five domes of the structure collapsed on April 18 owing to strong winds. Though Pakistan government claims that the domes were restored by a team of experts throughout April 18 night, Indian government sources doubted the quick restoration work, saying they hoped the repair work would be long-lasting.
Canada 19-Apr-2020
The India-Canada relations have been at an ebb recently due to the increasing influence of Pakistan in Canada, say report. The New Delhi-Ottawa bilateral relationship has soured so much that recently, in a trivial case, the country's top intelligence agency Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) unsuccessfully attempted to get an Indian national's application for citizenship rejected by accusing him of ‘covertly influencing’ Canadian politicians against Khalistanis. Though the Canadian court dismissed the accusations against the Indian national, who is an editor of a newspaper in New Delhi, the CSIS ensured that the allegation became the news in the Canadian press. According to sources, all this began when Canadians of Khalistani-background and Pakistani- descent began to assume significant positions in the Liberal Party of Canada and especially, the Trudeau government. The Defence Minister of Canada, Harjit Singh Sajjan and the Science and Technology Minister in the Trudeau government, have been publicly called Khalistani sympathizers by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Even the Canadian opposition, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh is an open supporter of Khalistanis.
India 19-Apr-2020
The Special Task Force (STF) against drugs arrested two persons, identified as Kulwinder Singh and Sarbjit Singh along with 800 gm heroin worth crores from Lakhewal village in Sangrur district. According to sources, another accomplice of the accused fled while the STF has been conducting further investigations.
India 19-Apr-2020
Malerkotla Police arrested one person, identified as Mohd Rustam and confiscated 210 kg of poppy husk and Rs 39,500 drug money from him at the Adampal road. In Sangrur district.
India 21-Apr-2020
The acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh endorsed the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC)’s stand that the damage to five domes at the newly built congregation hall at Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara after a recent thunderstorm was not an issue. He said, “This is not a big thing. The PSGPC has already issued a statement that the domes have been repaired and affixed at their places. So, this is not an issue at all.”
India 21-Apr-2020
The Border security Force (BSF) recovered nine packets of contraband suspected to be heroin of 4.5 kgs from Amritsar sector in Amritsar district.
India 22-Apr-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered one packet of heroin weighing one kg from near the border in Amritsar sector in Punjab. According to sources, along with the contraband, BSF also recovered arms, including one country made .30 bore pistol, two magazines and 24 live rounds (.30 bore) from the same spot. However, no arrest has been made in this connection.
India 22-Apr-2020
Former Khalistani militant, Daljit Singh Dulewal made allegations against Dal Khalsa’s patron Daljit Singh Bittu of procuring property with the money looted from banks during militancy era in Punjab. He alleged that Daljit Singh Bittu purchased agriculture land near Ropar by using some amount from the INR 57 million looted from a bank in Ludhiana in February, 1987. Daljit Singh Dulewal also accused Daljit Singh Bittu of intentionally fulfilling government’s aspirations by boycotting 1992’s assembly elections. “The militant leaders used to consider Daljit Singh Bittu as their policy maker, but he betrayed Sikhs,” he said in an interview. He added that Daljit Singh Bittu told them that he was going to Afghanistan for procuring weapons, but actually he moved to his farm in Ropar.
India 23-Apr-2020
Punjab’s Leader of Opposition, Harpal Singh Cheema in a statement expressed his deep concern over the way drug mafia was active in Punjab and its neighbouring states even during the curfew clampdown, leading to loss of precious young lives. He said that during the last three days, one youth was shot dead allegedly by drug peddlers and two youths succumbed to drug overdose in the state, which, he said, was a matter of concern. He said the cases were those reported in the through the media, adding that there were many unreported cases.
India 25-Apr-2020
The Tarn Taran district, which is among the worst drug-hit districts of Punjab, is doing its best to “break the backbone” of the drug smugglers in the district even during the lockdown period. The district police have frozen the assets of 16 drug smugglers, worth Rs 8.6 crore, in the last one month. Besides, the police have prepared eight new cases for freezing property worth Rs 16 crore belonging to various drug smugglers, including those from Havelian village, which is situated at a stone’s throw distance from India Pakistan border.
United Kingdom 26-Apr-2020
The Sikh Federation UK (SFUK) threatened the Scottish government with legal action claiming discrimination for failing to include a tick-box response option for Sikhs in the ethnicity section of its proposed census. The federation claims that this contravenes the European Convention of Human Rights, EU law and the Equality Act 2010.
United States 26-Apr-2020
Pro-Khalistan association, the World Sikh Parliament has recently recognized April 29th as “Sikh Declaration of Independence Day”. It’s General Secretaries Manpreet Singh and Hardyal Singh issued the proclamation which contextualizes the historical significance of the declaration of independence made by the Sikh leadership on April 29,1986. The Proclamation also reaffirms the World Sikh Parliament’s commitment to the aspiration of sovereign statehood of the Sikh homeland, and for its delivery in accordance with the Sikh nation’s right to self-determination under international law.
India 26-Apr-2020
Punjab Police arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Hilal Ahmed Wagay and recovered Indian currency worth Rs 29 lakh from him at Amritsar.
India 26-Apr-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead a suspected Pakistani intruder while he was trying to cross the International Border (IB) along Amritsar sector in Amritsar.
India 26-Apr-2020
Police arrested three persons, identified as Gurvinder Singh, Gurpiyar Singh and Akashdeep Singh and recovered two country made pistols, cartridges and a knife from their possession in Ludhiana in Punjab.
India 27-Apr-2020
Two policemen, identified as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Manjeet Singh and constable Gagandeep Singh were dismissed from service after the recovery of drugs and liquor from them. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said that 15 kg of poppy husk, 250 gm smack and 5 gm heroin and 30 bottles of country-made liquor were recovered from the ASI’s house. The accused had reportedly been letting off peddlers after taking money and drugs from them.
India 27-Apr-2020
Police arrested a woman along with 11gm heroin in Bagrian village in Sangrur district on April 27. After arrest, the woman was taken to Ludhiana jail on April 28 where she was found positive for Covid-19 on April 30.
India 28-Apr-2020
Police arrested three inter-state drug suppliers, identified as Harjot Singh Jot, Jatinder Singh and Balkar Singh and recovered 18 kg opium from their possession at Takhran village near Samrala in Ludhiana district.
United States 29-Apr-2020
Pro-Khalistan association, the World Sikh Parliament (WSP) observed ‘Khalistan Declaration Day’ hoisting Sikh flag along with the American flag in the city hall of Holyoke. Coordinator of WSP, Himmat Singh stated that, “The World Sikh Parliament team congratulates the global Sikh community on this 29th April which is the Khalistan Declaration Day.” “It is an honor for all the Sikhs living in America. The Sikh flag today waves along with the American flag. The World Sikh Parliament is able to get this opportunity because America symbolizes the belief to ‘Religious Freedom’ while respecting all religions. It’s a shame that India that claims to be the largest democracy but oppresses their minorities.”
India 30-Apr-2020
The Supreme Court sought Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s response on a plea of former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar, serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, seeking grant of either interim bail or parole for eight weeks in view of Covid-19 pandemic. Khokhar along with former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar are serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail in the case after the Delhi High Court convicted them on December 17, 2018.
United States 30-Apr-2020
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has urged the Trump Administration to give refugee status to the minority Sikh and Hindu families in Afghanistan who are increasingly facing persecution by terror outfits in the Asian country. Khanna, in a letter to the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F Wolf, expressed concerns about the health and safety of religious minorities in the war-ravaged nation where an approximately 200 Hindu and Sikh families left.
India 01-May-2020
The Akal Takht demanded a high-level probe as over 150 Takht Sri Hazur Sahib pilgrims were found infected by Covid-19 on their return to Punjab. Officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said, “Each of the pilgrims at Hazur Sahib underwent medical tests thrice and none was found to be infected. How could so many of them on their return contract the infection? I suspect that like the Tablighi Jamaat (Muslim sect), the Sikhs too are being defamed under a conspiracy. A probe should be held as I doubt the authenticity of ‘tests’ being conducted in Punjab.”
India 01-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 6.7 kg heroin which was kept hidden in a field across the barbed fence at the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar. Police earlier, arrested one person, Karam Singh alias Golu who was roped in to clear the consignment, at his residence. The heroin was kept hidden in a tractor’s drawbar.
India 01-May-2020
The Punjab Police’s Special Task Force (STF) recovered 2 kg heroin from the possession of two drug smugglers at Chak Misri Khan village in Amritsar district. The accused were arrested in the night after an encounter in which one of the accused received a bullet injury.
India 02-May-2020
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) slammed the Punjab government for vilifying the Sikh pilgrims returned from Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib by holding them responsible for the rise in coronavirus cases in Punjab. DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh needs to tighten the reins of his cabinet ministers who are openly vilifying the Sikh pilgrims. He has said that it seems like a big conspiracy is working behind vilification of Sikh pilgrims because their sudden positive testing in Punjab is fishy in itself.
India 03-May-2020
Police arrested four persons for allegedly committing sacrilege of Gurbani Pothis (scriptures) and Gutkas (Gurbani Handy Book) in Mohalla Guru Nanak Pura locality in Amritsar. The desecrated Gurbani scriptures were found in the garbage collected by a municipal corporation vehicle.
India 04-May-2020
The Special Task Force (STF) of Ludhiana police arrested two persons, Amit Sharma and his relative, Rajan Kumar along with 1.6kg heroin, 150gm smack and drug money of Rs 17.5 lakh in Chuharpur Road in Ludhiana district. According to police, Amit’s wife, who is also involved in drug peddling, is at large.
India 05-May-2020
The notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria tested positive for Covid-19 in Batala in Gurdaspur district, where he was in police custody in connection with high-profile murder case of the Dhilwan Akali sarpanch.
Pakistan 06-May-2020
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in Pakistan is now in action to expel the pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla from the ‘Punjabi Sikh Sangat’. Earlier, he was also expelled from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC). Notably, the ETPB had constituted ‘Punjabi Sikh Sangat’ to look after the religious activities in the Sikh shrines of Pakistan and Gopal Singh Chawla was appointed as a chairman of this body. According to report, the ETPB has started cornering Gopal Singh Chawla after he illegally occupied a piece of land managed by ETPB. An FIR was registered against Gopal Singh Chawla under sections 447/511 in Nankana Sahib police station on the complaint of revenue officer Asif Chadar. Sources also revealed that Gopal Singh Chawla might resign from the chairmanship of ‘Punjabi Sikh Sangat’ on May 7. It has also come to fore that the ETPB has not even credited Gopal Singh Chawla’s monthly salary worth Rupees 30,000.
Pakistan 06-May-2020
The Pak-based pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla accused that the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) officials are going to remove him from the chairmanship of “Punjabi Sikh Sangat” under a conspiracy.
India 06-May-2020
Police arrested a couple along with 20 gm of heroin and drug money of Rs Five lakh from Phillaur in Jalandhar district.
India 06-May-2020
The Punjab police registered a case against its former Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini along with eight other accused for kidnapping of Balwant Singh Multani, son of then IAS officer, in 1991. The Mataur police station in Mohali on May 6 registered an FIR against Saini who was then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Chandigarh and other eight accused in the case. The case has been registered under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abduction in order to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (wrongful confinement), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to exhort confession), 219 (public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report contrary to law), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The Chandigarh police had picked up Balwant after an attack on then SSP Saini in Chandigarh in which four cops in his security detail had died. The Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar was the mastermind of the RDX attack to blow up SSP Saini’s car on August 29, 1991.
India 06-May-2020
Punjab police arrested two accomplices of slain Hizbul Muzahideen (HM) commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo’s close associate, Hilal Ahmed Wagay from Amritsar. The arrested persons were identified as Bikram Singh and Maninder Singh, both from Amritsar. Police seized 1 kg heroin along with Rs 32 lakh in Indian currency from their possession, unveiling the Pakistan-sponsored conspiracy to smuggle narcotics and weapons into the state, the DGP Dinkar Gupta said. The interrogation of the two accused further revealed that both Bikram and Maninder, along with their cousins Ranjit Singh, Iqbal Singh and Sarwan Singh, dealt in drugs and weapons smuggled from across the border.
United Kingdom 06-May-2020
Despite a long-running campaign by some sections of the Sikh community, the House of Commons approved the draft census order for England and Wales on May 6 night without an ethnic Sikh tick-box in the ethnicity section. In response to the question asking their ethnic group, the British Sikh will have the option of ticking Asian/Asian British and then whether Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background (stating which), or they can write in Sikh.
India 07-May-2020
The Special Task Forces (STFs) of Ludhiana and Jalandhar police arrested a dera head and his three followers after recovering 290 gm heroin from their possession in Jagraon in Ludhiana district. STF officials said that a homeguard jawan, who was deployed in Ludhiana, used to supply drugs to the self-styled godman and the dera head of Rishi Ashram Nirmal Kutiya in Jagraon, identified as Bhagwan Singh Baba and his followers, Shani, Gaurav Kumar and Dharminder Singh.
India 07-May-2020
The Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh stated that “Sins of notorious cop SS Saini have come to haunt him after a long period. He has been booked in the abduction and subsequent murder case of Balwant Singh Multani. Multani was a friend of Prof Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar. Not only Multani, Saini killed Prof Bhullar’s father and uncle too after abducting and torturing them”. While welcoming the booking of Saini by the Punjab government, the Dal Khalsa said that people of Punjab wish to see former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini behind bars.
India 07-May-2020
Punjab police arrested seven persons including the most wanted gangster Baljinder Singh alias Billa, who allegedly had links with slain Pakistan-based Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Harmeet Singh Happy and Germany-based Bagga of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) from Kapurthala area in Kapurthala district. Billa, who was wanted in more than 18 cases including that of murder, arms smuggling and drug peddling. Besides Billa, the six arrested are Sukhjinder Singh, Mohit Sharma, Lovepreet Singh, Mangal Singh, Maninderjeet Singh and Lovepreet Singh alias Lovely. Police also recovered consignment of weapons included two 30 bore drum machine guns, three pistols (marked SIG Sauer made in Germany), two Glock pistols (made in Austria), two 30 bore pistols, one 32 bore pistol, one .315 bore rifle, 341 live cartridges and two drum magazines and 14 pistol magazines from their possession. Rs 3 lakh in cash and one hundred Australian dollars were also recovered from them. The Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said that “one of the biggest caches of highly sophisticated weapons seized from a criminal gang”. He said the SIG Sauer pistols are in fact being used by members of the US Secret Service, which protects the highest elected leaders of the United States, especially the President of the United States. The DGP also said preliminary investigations suggested that most of the weapons recovered from Billa were smuggled from Pakistan in different consignments. Police were also investigating the role of militants in the supply chain of illegal weapons. Billa during preliminary investigations revealed that he was in contact with various Pakistan-based weapons and drugs smugglers and had already received many consignments of weapons and drugs from them, mostly in the Ferozepur area.
India 08-May-2020
The former Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini who was booked in connection with a 29-year-old abduction case, moved a trial court seeking an anticipatory bail. A court in Mohali has issued a notice to Punjab Police, asking them to submit the complete records in the abduction case, and listed the matter for next hearing on May 9.
India 08-May-2020
The Dal Khalsa’s spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh has written a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in which he has urged him to arrest and prosecute former Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini. He has said that mere registering FIR against Sumedh Saini means nothing.
India 08-May-2020
Police arrested two more persons linked to the alleged drug-terror nexus, identified as Ranjit Singh and Jaswant Singh in Kalanaur in Gurdaspur district on May 8. Earlier, Police arrested two accomplices of Hizbul Muzahideen (HM) operative Hilal Ahmad Wagay on May 6. Wagay was an associate of HM commander Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo, who was gunned down in south Kashmir.
India 08-May-2020
Police busted an inter-state drug smugglers gang with the arrest of two persons, identified as Lakhvir Singh and Angrej Singh and recovered 18 kg opium from them at Bidhipur in Jalandhar district.
Germany 08-May-2020
Frankfurt court stated that an Indian national, identified as 54-year-old Balvir will stand trial in Germany accused of spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities for New Delhi's Secret Service. Federal prosecutors alleged that the suspect has been working with the Indian foreign intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) since 2015.
India 09-May-2020
According to reports, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has directed Khalistani terror groups which are active in Pakistan in smuggle weapons and drugs into Indian Punjab and extend help to the terror groups active in Kashmir. The National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s recent investigation revealed that Pakistan based terrorist organizations are using narcotic trade to generate funds for terror activities in India. The NIA said that Pakistani entities are smuggling narcotics into the Indian territory by hiding it in sacks of rock salt which is imported from Pakistan. This is done through an elaborate network of importers, customs house agents, transporters and the operation is financed through illegal international hawala channels. The NIA investigation also established that the proceeds of narcotic trade are transferred to Kashmir valley through couriers and hawala channel for terrorist purposes.
India 09-May-2020
The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and other Sikh outfits condemned Sikh Gurudwara Judicial Commission chairperson Satnam Singh Kler to appear as counsel for former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini. However, after the criticism from the Sikh community, Kler later withdrew from the case.
India 09-May-2020
Punjab Police in a joint operation arrested drug smuggler Ranjit Singh Rana alias Cheeta, who was wanted in connection with a 532-kg heroin haul from Attari last year, his brother Gagandeep alias Gagan and a relative Gurmeet Singh from Sirsa district in Haryana. The arrested persons were running a narco-terror network linked to the slain Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) ‘commander’ Rias Naikoo. Police recovered 1.2 kg poppy husk from Gurmeet's possession. Ranjit, who is wanted in 10 criminal cases, was one of the key links in the network engaged in smuggling of drugs and illegal weapons from across the border. Ranjit Singh and Gagan were handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Punjab Police, while Gurmeet, a resident of Vaidwala village, was arrested by the Sirsa police.
India 09-May-2020
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh warned Pakistan against its ‘persistent attempts’ to spread narco-terrorism in India, asserting that the police force was ‘keeping a close watch’ on anti-national activities across the border even during a crisis. After the arrest of notorious narco-terrorist Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta who acted as a conduit for Pakistan-based terror groups by the NIA, the CM said, "Our eyes are open to what Pakistan is doing." Assuring people that no matter how much the force has been busy with Covid duties, the Punjab CM said, the police was keeping a watch on the borders.
Germany 09-May-2020
According to reports, Indian counter-terror agencies are suspecting a Khalistan conspiracy in the case of alleged Indian national, identified as 54-year-old Balvir who was accused of spying for Indian intelligence agencies and is set to face trial in Germany. The federal prosecutors have told a regional court in Germany that Balvir was spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities for India's external intelligence agency, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW). Indian counter-terror officials said that there is an increasing trend where anonymous complaints and petitions are being filed as part of a motivated campaign by the Khalistan groups against those who are taking them on. The Khalistanis are a potent force in countries like Germany, Canada, UK and US, said the official. Indian security agencies also suspect that elements in Germany with links to security agencies are providing support to the Khalistani leaders. They see this as a reason why no legal action is taken against the Khalistani operatives in that country. One of the top operatives roaming freely in Germany is Gurmeet Singh alias Bagga alias Doctor of the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF). Gurmeet Singh has allegedly been instrumental in re-organizing the terrorist group to revive terrorism in Punjab - where he is believed to have established sleeper cells, which was recently busted by the Punjab police. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently issued red corner notices against Bagga and other Khalistani terrorists operating in different countries. According to sources, the counter-terror agencies are hot on the trail of not only Bagga but other Khalistani leaders with close links in Germany, like Gajinder Singh, Dal Khalsa, Wadhwa Singh, Babbar Khalsa, whose families are residing in Germany. Many of their associates, as well as other Khalistani leaders, have close ties in Pakistan, said the sources.
India 10-May-2020
According to the sources, the arrested notorious cross-border drug smuggler Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta had confessed to have made properties worth Rs 5 crore from the illegal drug trade. Police are now trying to identify his properties and taking further steps to attaching the same. During interrogation, Cheeta claimed that he got just 75 kg heroin smuggled from Attari-Wagah land route before the seizure of 532-kg consignment. However, police sources said that as per their information, he had smuggled around four such consignments earlier. Cheeta was living in Sirsa (Haryana) using the fake name of Gora for the past eight months. Earlier, he spent days in religious shrines by changing names when he went into hiding after the country’s biggest seizure of heroin (532 kg) at the Attari border in June 2019.
India 12-May-2020
Police busted a major narco-gangster module with the arrest of three persons, allegedly linked to the Attari drug haul, identified as Gurpreet Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Sukhdev Singh from Tarn Taran district on May 12. Police also recovered weapons including a 12 bore double barrel rifle, three .32 bore pistols, a 12-bore pistol and a .315 bore pistol, along with two rounds of .315 bore and two rounds of .32 bore cartridges from them. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta, it was revealed during the interrogation that Gurpreet Singh has been in touch with many noted arms and drug dealers and gangsters. He was in touch with Shubham, a Batala-based gangster, and supplied weapons to his associates in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur areas. Besides, he was also in contact with the key accused of the 532 kg heroin Attari drug haul case. The gang was actively involved in supply of weapons in Harike, Patti and Bhikhiwind areas of Tarn Taran, near Indo-Pak border.
India 12-May-2020
The Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said that ever since the imposing of curfew on March 22, 15.802 kg heroin had been recovered in the border district Tarn Taran. Further, the district police had been rigorously pursuing cases of freezing and forfeiture of illegally acquired properties of major drug smugglers, under provisions of NDPS Act. The DGP said properties of 12 drug smugglers worth around Rs 6.22 crore had been frozen by the district police since the imposition of curfew in the state. Besides, 11 new cases of freezing of property, worth around Rs 17.42 crore, had been recently prepared and sent to the competent authority, while seven new cases worth around Rs 5 crore would be sent during this week.
India 12-May-2020
The Kapurthala police said that pro-Khalistan groups are giving unnecessary twist to the death of a kabaddi player on social media to disturb peace in the state. Police, in the press conference, said “Some miscreants on social media are trying to politicise the matter. We convey our deep concern on the false rumours and request the public not to follow such fake news. Those spreading these rumours should refrain from the same.” The statement has come after hardliners from banned organizations, including Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), have been circulating posts against the police citing the incident as a deliberate act of terror by Punjab Police to ‘target Sikhs’. Earlier, the SFJ, in one of its social media posts said, “A Sikh has been killed by police as he exposed the ASI for selling drugs. Punjab Police are selling drugs to the people of Punjab and according to reports, 76% of youth is addicted to drugs. Punjab police are killing the youth with drugs. This is not acceptable. We want Khalistan.”
India 13-May-2020
According to the TV channel Zee News, it’s editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary received a threat call from a Khalistan separatist from UAE. The report said the Khalistani during his call stressed on their referendum 2020 campaign by saying that they will establish Khalistan soon. The caller also said, “Punjab does not belong to someone’s father. And the Referendum will anyway happen. No one can stop Khalistan to establish.”
Germany 13-May-2020
The federal prosecutor's office said that espionage charges against the Indian man, identified as ‘Balvir S’ in line with German privacy rules, were filed at a state court in Frankfurt. The man is accused of agreeing to pass information on Sikhs and the ‘Kashmir movement’ and their relatives to an employee of India's Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) on or before January 2015. According to German prosecutors, the suspect was in regular telephone and personal contact with the Germany-based intelligence officer and passed on information ‘in numerous cases’ until December 2017. However, they did not specify whether he is in custody. The trial will open on August 25.
India 13-May-2020
The district police arrested one woman, identified as Balbir Kaur along with 55 grams of heroin from Ferozepur district which was for the earlier consignment smuggled from Pakistan.
India 14-May-2020
The Security Forces (SFs), in a joint operation, recovered 7.70 kg heroin worth of Rs 39 crore from near border outpost DT Mall along the Indo-Pakistan border in Ferozepur district.
India 14-May-2020
The chief of Special Task Force (STF), Harpreet Singh Sidhu said that strictness in Punjab has forced the drug peddlers to change the smuggling routes. He said 180 foreign nationals had been arrested in 147 cases registered over three years. Of them, 61 were arrested in 2017, 81 in 2018, 37 in 2019 and one this year. He said the arrests indicated that Delhi had become a major centre from where foreign nationals had been supplying drugs to Punjab. He said since the inception of STF in April 2017, law enforcement agencies had recovered 1,376 kg of heroin, 1,515 kg of opium, 1,24,728 kg of poppy husk, 6,053 kg of ganja and 2,74,33,119 pills/capsules along with crores of rupees of drug money. He stated that the recovery of 464 kg of heroin in 2019 was the highest as compared to the last five years. The STF chief also said owing to enhanced vigil, the smugglers exploited new sea, air and land routes many of which were under the garb of legal trade and commerce.
India 14-May-2020
According to report, the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) is plotting to revive terrorism in Punjab by sitting in Lahore on the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The report said that the slain Khalistani leader Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD, had made Ranjit Singh Cheetah a hyperlink between terrorist organizations in Kashmir and sleeper cells in Punjab. Happy PhD was killed by unidentified assailants within the final week of January on the behest of the ISI after establishing a nexus between the militant organizations of Kashmir and the sleepers of Punjab, the report said. According to sources, the ISI killed Happy PhD due to the battle between the sleeper cells of Punjab and the connection established between terrorist organizations of Kashmir. The drug cash from smuggling heroin from Pakistan used to achieve the terrorist organizations of Kashmir by means of Ranjit Singh Cheetah. The Hizbul Mujahideen militants had been in touch with the cheetah. From time to time, Cheetah used to make use of sleeper cells to ship drug cash to Hizbul terrorists.
United States 15-May-2020
The United States (US) presidential candidate and former Vice President, Joe Biden expressed concern over the targeting of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, especially after the attack on Gurudwara Har Rai Sahib, and suggested they will be given refugee status in the US if he was elected President.
India 16-May-2020
Security Force arrested an absconding drug-peddler, identified as Hapreet Singh alias Sonu Baba and confiscated 280 gm of heroin from him at a checkpoint on the Jhabal road in Amritsar district. He was wanted in connection with seizure of 1 kg heroin on March 18, 2020.
India 16-May-2020
Punjab Police arrested two persons along with around 20,000 narcotic pills near Mandir village in Moga district.
India 16-May-2020
Ludhiana City Police arrested one person, Sukhwinder Singh alias Sonu along with .315 bore country made pistol, 10-gram heroin and two bullets from Ladhowal in Ludhiana district. According to police, the accused was injured in police firing after he allegedly jumped at least six checkpoints.
India 18-May-2020
During the interrogation of the arrested Ranjit Singh Rana alias Cheeta, the kingpin in the 532-kg heroin seizure case, and his aides by the police, it was revealed that they had transferred Rs 6 crore drug money to the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) during the past five years. According to officials, Cheeta and his accomplices had been in direct link with Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for the smuggling of heroin from across the border, and for transferring the drug money to the terror outfit. They said the gang members had cleared five drug consignments through Attari-Wagah border before the seizure of 532-kg heroin. The officials said the police have also identified around 10 more members of the gang which will be nabbed soon. Some of them are from Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Jalandhar districts, they added. Cheeta was arrested on May 9 by Punjab Police from Begi village in Sirsa district of Haryana with his brother Gagandeep Singh alias Bhola.
India 18-May-2020
Former Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini appeared before the Special Investigation Teams (SIT) in a case registered against him and other policemen regarding the abduction and disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani at Mataur police station. Earlier, he was summoned by the SIT after a Mohali court on May 11 granted him anticipatory bail.
Germany 18-May-2020
According to highly-placed diplomatic sources, German prosecutors will present evidence that a Frankfurt man scheduled for trial in a Federal state-security court in August received payoffs from India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for spying on Khalistan and Kashmiri secessionists, as well as other sensitive details of the intelligence service’s operations in that country. The upcoming trial of German resident, identified as Balvir Singh scheduled for August 25, according to German government documents, is the third recent case involving RAW assets in that country, and comes in the wake of similar prosecutions in Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
India 18-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered four packets of containing 1.980 kg of heroin from Amritsar sector in Amritsar district. According to BSF, the vigilant troops of the BSF heard some loud noises of miscreants near the post and challenged them following which, the miscreants fled towards Pakistan Territory. During search of the area, four packets heroin were recovered.
India 19-May-2020
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded an independent inquiry into the ‘drug trade’ across Punjab during the past two months of curfew.
Australia 19-May-2020
According to report, the United Sikhs in Australia forwarded their concern for the Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan by writing to all of the Parliamentarians of Australia, including the Prime Minister, Mr. Scott Morrison. They were requested to treat the Afghan Sikh issue on a priority basis and provide them safe refuge in Australia as the lives of those Afghan Sikhs and Hindus hangs in the balance.
India 20-May-2020
Convicted Al Qaeda terrorist Mohammed Ibrahim Zubair, found guilty of raising funds for the terrorist organisation in the United States, has been deported to India after completing his sentence. Mohammad Ibrahim Zubair, who hailed from Hyderabad, is one among the 165 people who arrived at Amritsar airport on May 20 after being deported from the United States due to unprecedented health crisis.
India 21-May-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the special court in Mohali that the alleged kingpin in the 532 kg heroin haul case, Ranjeet Singh Rana alias Cheeta, had hatched a ‘larger conspiracy’ with ramifications for the country’s national security. Further, the court sent Rana and his brother, Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan, to police remand till May 29. Rana, who has links with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and was involved in terror funding, had smuggled heroin and other drugs from Pakistan concealed in rock salt consignments through the integrated check-post (ICP) at the Attari border, 30 km from Amritsar.
India 21-May-2020
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated that gold and other sacred valuables belonging to the Sikh shrines ‘are a collective treasure of the Sikh community’. “There is no question of any individual or organisation even contemplating in the direction of donating even the smallest part of this treasure for any cause,” he said in a statement, referring to the controversy surrounding DSGMC chief Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s ‘inadvertent suggestion’ with regard to a proposal for donations of gold by shrines of various religious communities as a help in the fight against Covid-19.
India 21-May-2020
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) arrested two persons, identified as Rinku Singh and Harbhej Singh and recovered 252 kg poppy husk and 4 kg opium from them during the search of their truck at a naka on the Badrukhan-Ubhawal road in Sangrur district.
India 22-May-2020
The Barnala police recovered 8.2 kg heroin from Bareke border out post (BOP) across the fence near the Pakistan border in Ferozepur district. The police with support from Border Security Force (BSF) also recovered 15 live cartridges appeared to be manufactured in Pakistan. The consignment was put in various packets which has been recovered on a specific tip off provided by a woman already arrested with a small quantity of heroine few days ago.
India 22-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) thwarted a fresh attempt of the Pakistani smugglers to push drugs and ammunition in to the Indian Territory and seized 1.9 kg heroin, 280-gram opium besides arms and ammunition including one pistol of 9mm calibre, one magazine and five live cartridges near the border at Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur district.
India 23-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered more than six kg heroin from Abohar and Ferozepur sectors of Ferozepur district, near the international border in Punjab. According to BSF, the troops recovered 5.56 kg heroin from near the border in Abohar. Similarly, the security forces recovered one kg heroin from the border in Ferozepur sector.
India 23-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 1 kg heroin which was concealed in a 1.5 litre plastic bottle from Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district.
India 24-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) troops recovered 2 kg heroin from near the Shameke border outpost in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district. Sources said that the consignment was being smuggled through the water channel with help of two plastic bottles concealed in water hyacinth.
United Kingdom 25-May-2020
A Pakistani man, who attacked the Guru Arjan Dev shrine in Derby in Derbyshire, UK was arrested on May 25 morning. The Gurudwara described the vandalization of the shrine as a hate crime. The vandal left a hand-written note in broken English on a piece of paper in the Gurudwara, making an appeal to Sikhs to ‘help people in Kashmir’. Interestingly, besides scribbling ‘Pak Allah Pak’' in a corner of the paper, he had also provided a phone number. According to sources, Police later identified the man and arrested him.
India 26-May-2020
The radical group, Dal Khalsa decided to undertake an annual ‘Genocide Remembrance Parade’ on June 5 in Amritsar to mark the 36th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Dal Khalsa has been regularly observing this day by undertaking a march on June 5 and giving the call for Amritsar bandh on June 6, for the past ten years. However, Covid-19 has made the Dal Khalsa put its call for a shutdown on hold. The meeting of party office bearers under the presidentship of Harpal Singh Cheema was convened to chalk out a protest programme to observe ‘Ghallughara week’. At a press conference, party spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the final decision would be taken on June 1 in regard to the call for the Amritsar bandh.
India 26-May-2020
The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the vandalism of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurudwara in Derby, UK, on May 25 a day before the martyrdom day of the Guru. Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Hapreet Singh demanded the UK Government to ensure the safety of Gurudwaras and Sikh citizens.
United Kingdom 26-May-2020
The World Sikh Parliament (WSP) released two videos, one in English and one in Punjabi, with advice for Gurudwaras around the world on considerations they should take when reopening their doors to the Sangat after the lockdown.
India 26-May-2020
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) observed the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev at Gurdwara Sri Ramsar Sahib in Amritsar on May 26 even as Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) will observe the historical day on June 16. The difference in dates is because PSGPC follows the Pal Singh Purewal-authored Nankashahi Calendar, while the SGPC follows the same calendar, but with amendments.
India 27-May-2020
Police arrested two drug peddlers, identified as Lakhbir Cahand and Gurpreet Singh and recovered six kilograms of opium from their possession near Chak Jandu village Jalandhar district.
United Kingdom 27-May-2020
According to reports, Derby Police will look into possible terrorism links as part of their wider investigation into the attack on Guru Arjan Dev Gurudwara Derby, UK.
India 27-May-2020
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently registered over 20 money-laundering cases in connection with the seizure of drugs by various enforcement agencies in Punjab. The findings may be incorporated in the reports to be shared with key Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member nations to highlight the issue of narco-terrorism involving elements from Pakistan. According to the officials, ED is also initiating a probe into the seizure of 532 kg of heroin, worth about Rs 2,700 crore in the international market, and 52 kg of a mixed narcotic substance by the Customs Department at the Integrated Check Post on the Wagah-Attari border on June 29, 2019.
India 27-May-2020
A team of Special Task Force (STF) arrested an accused, identified as Partap Singh for smuggling 5.04 kg of heroin from Pakistan, in Ludhiana district. The accused, who was supplying the contraband in ration bags on a motorcycle, was held at a ‘naka’ near Casa Le Baron marriage palace.
India 27-May-2020
A Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team arrested two drug peddlers, identified as Vishal Singh alias Vicky and Deepak Kumar alias Deepu along with 1.2 kg opium near Chaukiman police post in Jagraon in Ludhiana district.
Canada 27-May-2020
The Ontario Superior Court has recently applied the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2018 ruling to dismiss a defamation action brought by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) against an Indian based news outlet and the Republic of India (the Republic), on the basis that Ontario does not have jurisdiction. The decision in ‘Sikhs for Justice v The Republic of India, 2020 ONSC 2628’ provides important guidance on what the court considers when determining whether Ontario is an appropriate jurisdiction for online-based defamation claims, and therefore on the factors that parties should consider in starting litigation in Ontario.
India 28-May-2020
Police arrested six persons, including a Nigerian national and recovered 3.5 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug money from them in Chhajjumajra village road in Khararin in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district on May 28. According to police, five men, Parivar Singh, Ravi Verma, Dalvinder Singh, Anjul Sodhi and Neelu were arrested along with 1.3 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug money on May 28 in Punjab. Upon their interrogation, police arrested another drug supplier, a Nigerian national named David, from Delhi and seized 2.2 kg heroin from him on May 31.
India 28-May-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) seized three plastic bottles of heroin weighing 1.6 kg from the Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district on May 28. A spokesperson said that the contraband was attempted to be pushed through water channel from Pakistan with the help of water Hyacinth (Jalkumbhi).
India 28-May-2020
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed the first supplementary charge sheet against a narco-terrorist, identified as Amit Gambhir alias Bobby who was among 17 people arrested for their alleged involvement in the 532-kg heroin haul case. The contraband, which was smuggled from Pakistan in a consignment of rock salt, was seized from the integrated check post (ICP) at the Attari border in June 29, 2019. Gambhir, was the 17th accused arrested in the case in which the NIA filed charge sheet against other 16 accused in December 2019.
India 28-May-2020
Punjab Police busted a drug smuggling racket and arrested one smuggler, identified as Gurlal Singh and recovered 8 kg of heroin from a wheat field which was allegedly buried by him in the border in Tarn Taran district. The drug was buried in the wheat field situated across the barbed wire fence and ahead of the zero line near Rattoke village of Bhikhiwind sub-division on the India-Pakistan border. Besides heroin, Police also recovered 30 gm opium from the border.
India 29-May-2020
According the reports, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)’s scheduled referendum 2020 programme - an exercise to know the opinion of Sikhs for a separate Sikh state - has been deferred to 2022. According to a Pakistani private TV channel, Referendum 2020 was scheduled to be held in November 2020 but has been deferred due to coronavirus pandemic. The new date for holding the referendum would be announced soon, the report said. Interestingly, Pakistan’s Khalistani Sikh leader Gopal Singh Chawla had earlier hinted at a delay in holding the referendum, saying that, “Neither is it written in Quran nor in Guru Granth Sahib that Referendum 2020 has to be held in 2020 only.”
India 29-May-2020
According to reports, keeping in view the history of clashes at Akal Takht on anniversaries of Operation Bluestar, Punjab police are doing all they can to prevent an untoward incident on June 6. Police personnel said that they had special instructions from seniors to prevent the gathering inside the shrine till the Operation Bluestar anniversary. “We are apprehending that members of some Sikh bodies may gather inside the shrine in advance. Actually, we want to prevent any untoward incident. Secondly, gathering is violation of the Covid-19 guidelines. So, we are taking these measures. However, we are letting people go who have genuine reason to visit the shrine,” said the Police.
India 29-May-2020
The state special operation cell (SSOC) arrested two persons with links with the terror outfit, Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for “disruptive activities” in Punjab. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rakesh Kumar refused to reveal their names and other details as the matter is under investigation. According to sources, the suspected persons are having contacts with Gursharanveer Singh, an ‘active member’ of KLF.