KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 01-Jan-2021
According to Border Security Force (BSF) data, the BSF personnel have recovered 517 kilograms heroin and 43 weapons from along the Indo-Pak International Borders (IB) in Punjab in 2020. The BSF also shot dead eight drug smugglers and intruders in separate encounters in 2020. Additionally, a total of 13 Pakistanis and one Bangladeshi national were also arrested during the year. In a humanitarian gesture, the BSF handed over six Pakistanis to the Pakistan Rangers after they had inadvertently crossed the IB.
India 03-Jan-2021
The Punjab Police have decided to recruit specialised de-radicalisation counsellors in the backdrop of radicalisation of youth for pro-Khalistan activities via social media. 30 de-radicalisation counsellors and 82 assistants will be recruited soon with the job to bring back youth into the mainstream after they were allegedly brainwashed by terror agencies, including Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta. According to the Police records, nearly 70 terror modules had been busted in the past few years in which more than 300 youth were arrested. Most of them were radicalised for pro-Khalistan activities through social media.
India 07-Jan-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at six locations – five in Jammu District of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and one in Tarn Taran District of Punjab in connection with the investigation of a narco-terror module case (RC 05/2020/ NIA/JMU) related to seizure of about 61 kilograms of heroin along with arms and ammunitions on September 20, 2020 at International Border (IB) at Arnia in Jammu District. The officials recovered digital devices and other incriminating documents having financial details and accounts numbers during these searches. The searches were conducted at the residences of six accused persons namely – Jasraj Singh, Sham Lal, Bishan Dass, Ajeet Kumar, Gurbaksh Singh and Gurpartap Singh. These accused persons were arrested for hatching a criminal conspiracy for carrying out anti-national and unlawful activities, and to help the terrorist organisations by collecting funds and channelizing the proceeds of drugs for furthering the activities of such terrorist organisations like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Gurpratap Singh, r/o Tarn Taran District is the kingpin of this module. In the second week of September 2020, Gurpratap Singh had received 10 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan based handlers through his associates. The consignment in the case was also intended to be received by Gurpratap Singh to fund the activities of BKI in Punjab.
India 09-Jan-2021
Police arrested a drug smuggler and recovered five kilograms of heroin worth INR 250 million in the international market from Indo-Pak International Border (IB) near Hussainiwala in Ferozepur District. The smuggler, identified as Dalbir Singh aliasDallu, was arrested with 250 grams heroin. Later on, based on his disclosure, in a joint operation with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, five kilograms heroin, one pistol, 2 magazines, 18 live cartridges and Pakistani currency worth INR 1,100 were recovered at the designated place across the fencing near the IB. “During preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that Dalbir had links with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and was in touch with cross-border drug peddlers through the social media,” said a Police official
India 10-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered four packets of heroin weighing two kilograms from IB in Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur District.
India 13-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 12 kilograms of heroin, worth INR 600 million in the international market, near India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Amritsar district. “We seized 12 packets of the contraband near the border fence. The area is manned by 88 Bn, BSF, Amritsar sector. A 13-foot-long PVC pipe was also found there. It was probably used to push packets across the border. No arrest has been made so far,” a BSF official said.
India 14-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead an unidentified Pakistani intruder along the International Border (IB) in Amritsar District. The BSF personnel noticed suspicious activity near the border fence and after sensing a threat, troops shot him dead.
India 14-Jan-2021
The banned US-based secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) announced a reward of USD 2,50,000 for protesting farmers of Punjab for hoisting ‘Khalistan flag’ at India Gate in the national capital on Republic Day. While announcing the reward, SFJ’s chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a video tried to link the farmers' protest with 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “26 January is coming and on the Red Fort, there is an Indian tricolour. Remove the tricolour on 26th of January and replace it with the Khalistan flag,” he said while announcing that SFJ will give USD 2,50,000 to those who will remove the Indian tricolour. Besides this, SFJ also used the bait of giving foreign citizenship to lure the protesters. “The laws of the world are with you. If the Indian Government points a finger at you, you and your families will be brought to the foreign countries under the United Nations laws,” he further said.
India 15-Jan-2021
The Counter Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel recovered four kilograms heroin worth INR 200 million in the international market from International Border (IB) in Ferozepur District. The consignment was recovered following the inputs provided by a drug peddler – Malkeet Singh alias Kala (35) who was arrested by the Police on January 10. “During preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that Malkeet had links with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and was in touch with cross-border drug peddlers through the social media. At least, 13 Pakistan mobile numbers were found in his mobile,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh said.
India 19-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Police recovered 5.2 kilograms of heroin along with an AK-47 submachine gun, a pistol, an AK magazine with seven cartridges, near the Daoke border outpost on the International Border (IB) in Amritsar District. The contraband and weapons were sneaked into the Indian territory by a Pakistan-based drug peddler Bilal Sandhu of Maniala village there. The Police recently got a tip-off that Sandhu and some contacts in India recently pushed a consignment of contraband and weapons from across the border near the Daoke border outpost. The information was shared with the BSF following which the recovery was made.
India 20-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered two kilograms of heroin along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur District. BSF recovered 17.60 kilograms heroin so far in January 2021 along the IB in Punjab.
India 23-Jan-2021
The US-based banned Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) threatened to stage protests outside Indian missions in the US, UK and Canada on Republic Day (January 26) over Farm Laws. Following this, India’s Foreign Ministry on January 23 said that India has asked host countries to take appropriate action for ensuring the security of the mission premises. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “we have raised the issue of security of our diplomatic mission with local authorities”.
India 26-Jan-2021
The US-based pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), announced a reward of USD 350,000 for unfurling the "Khalistani flag" on the Indian Parliament on February 1, when the Union Budget 2021-2022 will be presented. In a video statement, SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun hailed the hoisting of the 'Nishan Sahib'—which he referred to as a "Khalistani flag"—during the "siege" of the Red Fort in Delhi on January 26. He announced a reward of USD 350,000 (INR 25 million) for unfurling the "Khalistani flag" at the Parliament on February 1.
India 04-Feb-2021
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India had issued a Mutual Legal Assistance Request to the US for investigation in the case of ‘Referendum 2020’ (secessionist campaign) by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). As per procedure, the request has been sent directly by the Indian authorities concerned to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), it added.
India 04-Feb-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in Amritsar and Gurdaspur Districts of Punjab, in connection with a narco-terror case of Pakistan-based terror group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). During searches, INR 2 million of drug proceeds, 130 rounds of 9 mm bullets, mobile phones, pen drive, one bunch of polythene bags used for packing heroin, a car, a two-wheeler, documents related to properties and other incriminating documents have been seized from the house of the suspect. An NIA spokesperson said, the searches were conducted at the premises of suspect Manpreet Singh of Amritsar, a close associate of charge-sheeted accused Ranjit Singh in connection with the investigation of HM narco-terror case. The case relates to the arrest of Hilal Ahmad Shergojri, an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of HM and a close associate of Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, the then ‘commander’ of HM who had come to Amritsar to collect funds to further the terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the official said.
India 07-Feb-2021
A Pro-Khalistan militant identified as – Gurpinder Singh (37), with alleged links to the banned terror group, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), was arrested by a joint team of Punjab and Maharashtra Police in Nanded city in Nanded District of Maharashtra. A resident of Gurusar in Muktasar Sahib District in Punjab, Gurupindar along with four other pro-Khalistan militants was active in fundraising and collecting arms from abroad for the movement. He had hatched a plot to assassinate Hindu leaders who opposed the Khalistan movement. An FIR was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, along with sections of the Indian Arms Act, by Punjab’s special operation cell in Amritsar on December 19, 2020, naming four suspects, three of whom have been arrested while another is in Belgium. “Three of the arrested suspects — Sarabjit Singh alias Kirat, Amandeep Singh alias Bhinder and Gurdeep Singh alias Baghi — are active members of KZF and were conspiring to commit terrorist activities in Punjab. They are in touch with Belgium-based KZF terrorist Jagdish Singh alias Bhoora, who is motivating and facilitating them by arranging funds from different countries, procurement of weapons and asked them to recruit people to carry out terror activities. These suspects have already acquired arms and ammunition and were planning to carry out targeted killings of leaders of Hindu organisations and people who are against the Khalistani ideology, to disturb communal harmony and law and order in the state of Punjab”, states the FIR.
India 08-Feb-2021
A joint team of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police arrested an accomplice, identified as Jagdev Singh alias Jagga, of two Pro-Khalistan terrorists – Paramjit Singh Pamma and Multani Singh from Vikas Nagar area in Lucknow District of Uttar Pradesh. Paramjit is currently in the UK while Multani is in Germany. Both of them are accused of carrying out anti-national activities in Punjab and trying to promote terror and harm peace and religious tolerance. According to the Police, Paramjit and Maltani were allegedly preparing Jagdev Singh to carry out anti-national activities and with the money provided by them, he along with his partner Jagroop Singh bought guns and cartridges from Madhya Pradesh. Punjab Police had already arrested Jagroop on February 7.
India 08-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a packet containing 470-grams of heroin in Tahliwala border outpost in Fazilka District. The packet was recovered from the fields of a farmer, Darshan Singh, across the barbed fencing.
India 09-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation conducted with the Punjab Police recovered two kilograms of heroin along with a pistol and 11 live bullets from across the barbed fence near Rajatal border outpost along the International Border (IB).The contraband was hidden under the ground around 200 metres ahead of the barbed fence.
India 11-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a drug peddler, identified as Mandeep Singh, near Attari along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Amritsar District. During search across the barbed fencing, the personnel recovered 10 packets containing 10.7 kilograms of heroin. When challenged, the BSF men heard sounds cocking of weapons and opened fire in self-defence. Mandeep was injured while his accomplice fled from the spot. During search, the BSF found heroin in a bag.
India 11-Feb-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against six accused persons in a case (RC-30/2020/NIA/DLI) dated September 5, 2020, relating to hoisting of ‘Khalistani’ flag at Deputy Commissioner Office Complex in Moga District of Punjab by cadres of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) before NIA Special Judge at Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District of Punjab. The six accused include - Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh alias Ampa, Akashdeep Singh alias Munna, Jagwinder Singh alias Jagga, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and Harpreet Singh alias Rana alias Ranjit Singh alias Harmeet Singh. Investigation in the case revealed that accused Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh and Akashdeep Singh were radicalized members of SFJ and conspired with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh of SFJ. In furtherance of conspiracy accused Inderjit Singh, Jaspal Singh and Akashdeep Singh were involved in hoisting ‘Khalistani’ flag at DC Office Complex, Moga on August 14, 2020, and also tearing of Indian National Flag hoisted in premises of DC Office, Moga. They have made video of the incident and sent it to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh of SFJ which was broadcasted by them on various social media platform like YouTube, US Media International and SFJ Channel to propagate the secessionist agenda of SFJ and in support of ‘Referendum 2020’ for making separate State of Khalistan. Accused Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Rana Singh have also sent funds through money transfer services to accused Inderjit Singh and Jaspal Singh after the commission of crime.
India 13-Feb-2021
An unidentified Pakistani drug smuggler was killed by the Indian Security Forces (SFs) at the international border (IB) in the Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur District. The SFs heard some sound along the border fence and opened fire in which one Pakistani intruder was killed on the spot. During a search, a PVC pipe and 14 packets of contraband, suspected to be heroin, weighing 14.805 kilograms was recovered from the possession of the slain intruder. Besides one pistol magazine, six rounds and two mobile phones were also recovered from the spot.
India 14-Feb-2021
Six packets of heroin weighing 6.38 kilograms were recovered from the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar District.
India 16-Feb-2021
Indian intelligence agencies have sounded an alert that a global conspiracy has been hatched by Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) to target farmers’ leader protesting at Delhi’s borders. Central intelligence agencies – Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) – are tracking such attempts of KCF, and a report has been prepared by the intelligence agencies on the same. According to the report prepared by central intelligence agencies based on inputs, the conspirators are from Belgium and the United Kingdom (UK) who in coordinated manner have prepared a plan to eliminate a farmer leader protesting at Delhi's border. The KCF’s plan is also to settle score with the leader who was “alleged to have involvement in eliminating KCF cadres from Punjab in the past”.
India 19-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 10.265 kilograms of heroin, worth around INR 500 million in the international market, from Mamdot area along the Indo-Pak international border (IB) in Ferozepur District.
India 22-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 895-grams of heroin, concealed in a tractor near Kassoke border outpost along the International Border (IB) in Ferozepur District.
India 02-Mar-2021
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) donated USD 10,000 to the UN Human Rights High Commissioner to request for a ‘commission of inquiry’ to be set up to probe the curbs allegedly imposed by the Central government on farmers from Punjab. In a video released by SFJ, the outfit's General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed that the USD 10,000 donation had been made to the UN to seek the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate ‘curbs’ imposed on farmers by the Centre, including sedition and to hold India accountable.
India 06-Mar-2021
According to the latest data provided by the Border Security Force (BSF), the personnel in 2020 made a record 517-kilograms haul of heroin, which is the highest seizure in the past five years from along the International Border (IB) in Punjab. The drug recovery in 2020 witnessed almost a three-fold rise compared to 2019 (228 kilograms). BSF soldiers also shot dead eight drug smugglers and intruders in separate encounters in 2020 and arrested 13 of them. “The number of intruders trying to cross over, came down last year as we reacted swiftly,” said a senior BSF official. In 2020 in a humanitarian gesture, the force handed over six Pakistanis to the Pakistan Rangers after they had inadvertently crossed the IB. “With almost every drug consignment, weapons too are sent along. The most common weapon is a .30 bore pistol,” said a BSF officer.
India 10-Mar-2021
The banned pro-Khalistan organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in a video message, announced INR 100,000 to the deceased and INR 25,000 for the injured farmers who have been protesting at Delhi's borders since December 2020 against the recently introduced farm laws.
India 11-Mar-2021
Police recovered one kilogram of heroin and arrested three persons, identified as Dhawan Singh, and his brothers Harjinder Singh and Satwinder Singh, near the Lakhe Karaha in village link road along the IB in Fazilka District.
India 12-Mar-2021
Police and Border Security Force (BSF) recovered five kilograms of heroin in the international market from Gatti Bissoke border outpost area along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) in Fazilka District.
United States 13-Mar-2021
The United Nations (UN) has received a USD 10,000 “donation” from the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an outfit banned by India. SFJ is simultaneously lobbying the UN to set up a “commission of inquiry” to investigate alleged mistreatment of farmer protesters in India.A spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, said, “We confirm we received a contribution of USD 10,000 on 1 March from an individual representing the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group via our online donation function. In general, we do not decline online contributions, unless they are from groups or individuals listed on UN sanctions lists or the organisation/individual is engaged in activities manifestly contrary to the UN Charter or its principles.” US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s general counsel, said a further USD 1.3 million had been pledged from the Sikh community to establish a UN commission of inquiry (CoI) “to investigate India’s use of violence and sedition charges against protesting farmers”.“As of my knowledge the UN has not established the commission. But we are pursuing the matter through the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Pannun said.
India 14-Mar-2021
A Pakistani drone entered the Indian territory, but was forced to return as BSF troopers spotted it and opened fire in its direction in Pathankot District.
India 14-Mar-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested five alleged Indian drug peddlers, after an exchange of fire in which one of them was injured, near the Fatehpur international border outpost in Amritsar District. The arrested were identified as – Vikramjeet Singh and Vijay Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Gopi, all residents of Kakkar village and Navjot Singh of Dug Dogar village in the District. According to BSF, they observed suspicious movements on the Indian side of the barbed fence and challenged the suspects. However, they tried to flee away following which the BSF troopers opened fire at them in which Sarabjit Singh was injured.
India 22-Mar-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge-sheet against seven Khalistani operatives namely – Jajbir Singh Samra aka Jazz aka Jass r/o Tarn Taran, Varinder Singh Chahal r/o Amritsar, Kulbir Singh r/o Nawan Shahar, Manjit Kaur r/o Ludhiana, Taranbir Singh aka Khanpuria r/o Amritsar, Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria {an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)}, and Harmeet Singh aka PhD {Pakistan based self-styled chief of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF)} in the NIA Special Court at Mohali in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District of Punjab, says NIA. The accused were allegedly involved in a case pertaining to the recovery of two hand grenades and a mobile phone from a bag in Amritsar on June 2, 2019. A case was filed in Raja Sansi Police Station, Amritsar (Rural) vide FIR No. 90. NIA had re-registered the case as RC-07/2020/NIA/DLI and taken over the investigation. Investigation has revealed that accused Jajbir Singh Samra and Varinder Singh Chahal were part of a Narco-Terror module involved in distributing the heroin smuggled from Pakistan in order to channelize the proceeds of drugs to various terrorist entities on the directions of Pakistan based terrorist Harmeet Singh aka PhD. They had also picked up grenades and concealed the same at pre-decided location for carrying out terrorist act to further the conspiracy hatched by Harmeet Singh aka PhD and Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria. Investigation has also revealed that chargesheeted accused namely Kulbir Singh, Manjit Kaur and Taranbir Singh aka Khanpuria had harboured and provided logistics support including accommodation, business VISA for Kulwinderjit Singh aka Khanpuria in Cambodia and Malaysia when he had escaped from India.
India 29-Mar-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 6.150 kilograms heroin and ammunition, including a Pakistan-made .30 bore pistol and two pistol magazines from across the International Border (IB) in Jalalabad subdivision of Fazilka District.
India 17-Apr-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 17 filed a charge-sheet against seven narco-smugglers associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The charge sheet exposes the plot of Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and banned terror outfit BKI. Pakistani ISI handler Arif told accused Gurpartap Singh that he will sell the heroin and then either he will buy weapons for BKI and other terrorists or provide the money to the terrorists and operatives of BKI. Arif also told that the proposed consignment will be for Gurpartap. In addition, he also told that Gurpartap has strong connections with ISI in Pakistan. The NIA charge-sheet says, “Investigation has established that accused Gurpartap Singh has been involved in smuggling of heroin and gold since 2004. He has been part of the larger conspiracy of smuggling of heroin and arms/ammunition into India to actively assist revival of BKI activities. He is an active member of BKI. His role is to collect proceeds of heroin and collect arms/ammunitions smuggled from Pakistan into India and forward them to the cadres of BKI and to create unrest in Punjab. In the first week of June, 2020 Sham Lal visited the house of Gurpartap Singh.” It further added that accused Ajeet Kumar remained an operative of BKI. He was involved in the 2005 Delhi Cinema Blast which was claimed by BKI. He had also been part of a larger conspiracy of smuggling of heroin, arms and ammunition into India for the revival of BKI cadres. Accused Ajeet Kumar played a vital role in transporting heroin.
Canada 19-Apr-2021
In a major operation, Canadian law enforcement arrested and charged over two dozen persons, mostly Indo-Canadians with roots in Punjab, with participating in transnational drug trafficking activities. The drugs were being illegally brought into the country from the US - primarily from California - and also from India. York Regional Police (YRP), which led the investigation and the subsequent crackdown, said that multiple agencies worked on the operation that “dismantled a large-scale international drug trafficking network that extended to western Canada, the United States and India”. The investigation, named “Project Cheetah”, began in May last year (2020) and penetrated “a robust network” involved in importing large quantities of banned drugs into Canada. “The drugs were then distributed across the country through a sophisticated system run by the traffickers,” YRP said. On April 8, police in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia as well as in California executed over 50 search warrants, resulting in 33 people being charged with over 130 offences. Among them, 27 were arrested and charged in the Greater Toronto Area, with 19 of them hailing from the town of Brampton. Of these, 23 are of Punjabi origin. One suspect, Gurbinder Sooch, remains at large.
Pakistan 19-Apr-2021
Sikh pilgrims celebrated the 322nd Baisakhi Mela at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur. Around 818 Sikhs from India came to border town Kartarpur through the corridor in a procession. Other than India, pilgrims from Pakistan, Dubai, the US and Canada were also participated in the Baisakhi festival.
India 19-Apr-2021
Police arrested Raj Kumar alias Raja and recovered 270-gram heroin from him in Ferozepur district. He was booked under the NDPS Act.
India 20-Apr-2021
The Narcotics Control Cell arrested a smuggler and recovered 6.27 kg heroin worth Rs 32 crore following the information provided by him in Ferozepur district.
Pakistan 20-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s Punjab Government has issued a resolution which defines the Government’s position towards the Sikh community and puts in a strong plea for the maintenance of cordial relations between the Sikhs and the Government.
India 20-Apr-2021
Accusing Delhi Police of ducking its Right to Information (RTI) queries about the specimens of “Khalistani, Hindu Rashtra, and other banned flags”, pro-farmer ‘Tractor2Twitter’ group has vowed legal action against the television channels if these would further insult a 'Nisan Sahib' (Sikh flag) from now on in their coverage.
India 20-Apr-2021
The recent charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against 7 operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in connection with a narco-smuggling case clearly suggests that the BKI continues to be backed heavily by the ISI, which is aiming cause a huge unrest in the country. The report said that the BKI with the ISI was drumming up support abroad and, in the bargain, earned a lot of sympathizers. While Pakistan continued to provide shelter, the Khalistan outfits began drumming up support abroad, especially in Canada, UK and the US. During the farmer protests it was seen that several pro-Khalistan voices had offered support and were attempting to create unrest in several parts of the country in the name of the protests.
Canada 21-Apr-2021
According to reports, Punjabi smugglers figure among top three notorious gangs in Canada behind the biker gangs and Vietnamese groups. The Punjabi gangs have hogged international limelight these days with the Canada police claiming on April 19 that they have broken a major drug cartel run mainly by Punjabis. Out of 33 persons charged for the possession of drugs and firearms besides huge currency and a gold-plated car, nearly 25 were of Punjabi origin. According to a report from Canada said about 21 per cent of gangsters died in gang-wars or police operations since 2006 were of Punjabi region. Their activities are of high concern back home in Punjab as some of the gangs have been linked to either arrested or wanted smugglers. The main being the gangs of Devinder Dev, Kamaljit Chauhan and Amarinder Singh Chhina. The Punjab Police and NCB officials said Dev even had links with the Jagdish Bhola gang. These persons had used Punjab as the base to transport drugs to Canada, the USA and Australia through the Golden Crescent of drugs network featuring Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan 21-Apr-2021
According to media reports, the Sikh community in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of Pakistan is facing troubles as the members of the community are once again receiving calls from extortionists. A local Sikh trader who has a cosmetics shop in the Karkhano Market recently received a call from Afghan numbers asking him to pay ‘charity money’ to the militants. The businessman has received two calls for extortion in a short span of two days and is being threatened with dire consequences if he failed to pay up. The Hayatabad police have opened an inquiry into the case.
India 21-Apr-2021
Punjab Government has approved a reward policy to encourage information and inputs leading to recovery of drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta, said the policy will recognize government servants-informers-sources for their role in providing inputs leading to the recovery of substantial quantity of drugs and in successful implementation of various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and PIT NDPS Act, 1988. The quantum of reward for successful investigation, prosecution, forfeiture of illegally acquired property, preventive detention and other significant anti-drug work shall be decided on case-to-case basis, he said.
India 21-Apr-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to cancel the plan of grand events that were scheduled to be held to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.
United States 21-Apr-2021
In the wake of last week’s massacre of innocent people, including four Sikhs in a FedEx store in Indianapolis, United Sikhs, a United Nations (UN)-affiliated human rights advocacy organization, has called upon the US administration for adopting stricter gun control measures in the country. It called upon the Congress and the Executive branches at the state and federal levels to declare such types of crimes, including race and ethnicity, hate-based crimes, a crisis and a national emergency.
United States 21-Apr-2021
Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy has entered a statement into the Congressional record to recognize April as ‘Sikh appreciation and awareness month’ in his home state of Illinois. He underscored the importance of the recognition, saying there had been a disturbing rise in hate crimes and violent acts perpetrated against the Sikh-American community.
India 22-Apr-2021
Around 100 pilgrims of the 818-member Sikh jatha that returned from Pakistan on April 22 tested positive for Covid-19. The jatha had gone to Pakistan on a 12-day pilgrimage to celebrate Baisakhi at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, and pay obeisance at other historical Gurudwaras.
India 22-Apr-2021
Police arrested three Nepali nationals, including a woman, along with 13 kg heroin from near Peer Baba Dargah on Ambala-Chandigarh highway in Lalru in Mohali district in the evening. A case under Section 18/61/85 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered at Lalru police station.
Pakistan 23-Apr-2021
According to reports, Pakistan’s anti India propaganda machinery is now projecting a Muslim in guise of Sikh who has given a call to Sikh community to join hands with Islamist activists against the French people and to boycott the French products in protest against publishing of caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. In a video message which was uploaded on social media on Friday, a turban clad person said that this was the right time to reply to the temerity of French people and the man is also heard saying that he had visited a few shopping malls where he saw ‘boycott' labels attached to the French products. Notably, in the recent past there had been violent protests against France, after French president Emmanuel Macron defended the publication of a caricatures of Prophet Mohammed and pledged to fight the Islamist separation. Meanwhile, the Indian Sikh jatha on visit to Pakistan had to be stopped due to protest by the activists of Islamist body Teherek-i-Labaik Pakistan on April 12. While ensuring support of Sikh community to the Islamist jihadi’s, he said that they should be like Hitler to the French people who dared to publish the blasphemous caricature of Prophet Mohammed. Intelligence sources informed that the person in the provoking video was Qasam Dogar who calls himself Sardar Qasam Dogar Singh and was on the payrolls of ISI like Pakistan’s pro Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla.
India 23-Apr-2021
The Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh said that, in view of the coronavirus crisis, the Punjab Government will celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur from April 28 virtually. The CM said the situation is not conducive for grand celebrations and he will also speak to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur to shift all celebrations to the virtual mode.
United States 23-Apr-2021
Several Indian-American Sikh, Muslim and Christian groups have applauded the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its latest report wherein it has recommended India be designated as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” for the alleged deterioration of religious freedom in the country. The coordinator of American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), Dr Pritpal Singh, said that “India, which claims to be the world’s largest democracy with a tradition of secular pluralism, is fast slipping into a majoritarian autocracy”.
India 23-Apr-2021
Mohali Police arrested a couple, identified as Manoj Sharma and Aishwarya Nagpal and recovered 260 gm heroin from their possession from Dhakoli in Mohali district. The couple was arrested while they were waiting for their clients. During preliminary interrogation, the couple revealed that they had been procuring the heroin from a Nigerian national in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar and selling it to their clients in Mohali, Dhakoli, Zirakpur, Panchkula and Chandigarh.
India 23-Apr-2021
Police busted an inter-state drug racket and arrested three persons, identified as Amandeep Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Nanak Singh along with 900 grams of heroin from Sirsa district.
India 23-Apr-2021
Punjab Police recovered 1 kg of heroin that was concealed near a border outpost (BoP) along the India-Pakistan border in Ramdas village in Ajnala sector in Amritsar district. The drug consignment was supposed to be collected by smugglers on the Indian side of the border, Police said.
India 23-Apr-2021
Police arrested two drug peddlers and recovered 13,700 intoxicating tablets and 1.5 kg opium from their possession in Khanna city of Ludhiana district. The accused were identified as Amritpal Singh of Noordi Adda and Daler Singh of Tarn Taran district.
India 25-Apr-2021
Police arrested three drug smugglers, identified as Karandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and Hardeep Singh alias Saba, after a brief encounter in which several rounds of ammunition were exchanged near Jakholahri on the Dinanagar-Pathankot road in Pathankot district on April 25 night. Police recovered 265 gm heroin, a US-made pistol and five cartridges from the possession of the suspects.
India 25-Apr-2021
Border Security Force (BSF) seized two packets of contraband suspected to be heroin wrapped in two white sacks weighing 1.902 kg from the area of responsibility of 136 Bn in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district. A BSF spokesperson said that the contraband was found hidden in the wheat fields ahead of border security fencing. Meanwhile, BSF had seized 202.097 kg heroin during the current calendar year so far having a value of more than Rs 1010 crore in the international market.
Germany 25-Apr-2021
Expressing annoyance at the statement of a Muslim man in Pakistan in the guise of a Sikh, against the French people and French interests, the European Sikh leadership has appealed to the Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to take strict action against such elements who have a propaganda which can be detrimental to the religious and economic interests of Sikh community of Europe. A local Sikh leader Gurdeep Singh Randhawa said, "The Sikh leadership of Europe strongly condemn the nonsense statement of a turban wearing Muslim who has no knowledge of Sikh religion, we are living very peacefully in Europe maintaining a respectable status in the society."
Pakistan 25-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s National Command and Operation Centre informed that the Kartarpur Corridor was closed for pilgrims since 16th of last month owing to rising disease spread.
India 26-Apr-2021
Police arrested two persons, identified as Ankur Kumar and his accomplice Sikander Sahni along with 124 gm of cannabis (ganja) from near Pancham Hospital in Dugri in Ludhiana district.
India 26-Apr-2021
Police arrested a man, identified as Sukhwinder Singh and recovered 5 gm of heroin from him from Street No 9 in Shimla Puri in Ludhiana district.
India 26-Apr-2021
Punjabi Non-Resident Indian (NRI) MPs and MLAs in the UK and Canada expressed concern over the deteriorating Covid19 situation in India and have promised to extend help in this moment of crisis.
India 27-Apr-2021
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against eight terrorists of the outlawed Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for their alleged involvement in killing Shaurya Chakra awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu at the direction of their Pakistan-based handlers. Sandhu, who fought terrorism in Punjab, was shot dead in October 2020 in Tarn Taran district. The charge sheet, according to which Sandhu was killed by the KLF terrorists, was filed before a special NIA court in Mohali under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Inderjit Singh, Sukhraj Singh, Sukhdeep Singh, Gurjit Singh, Sukhmeet Pal Singh, Ravinder Singh, Akashdeep Arora and Jagroop Singh were named in the charge sheet. The NIA investigation revealed that Sandhu was executed with the intent to strike terror in the minds of the people of India and especially those opposed to the Khalistani ideology. According to the NIA, the transnational conspiracy in the crime was hatched by Pakistan-based self-styled chief of the KLF Lakhvir Singh Rode and top foreign-based KLF terrorists who provided arms/ammunition and funds to the accused. Further, a well-oiled terrorist-narcotics-criminal nexus, wherein narcotic drugs along with weapons were smuggled by Pakistan-based entities from across the international border into Punjab for generation of funds for executing terrorist acts, has also been unearthed.
India 28-Apr-2021
Sikh diaspora condemned Pakistan’s machination of defaming the Sikh community and trying to create a wedge between Pakistani and European Sikhs by projecting a Muslim man in the guise of a Sikh and inciting them to give a befitting reply to French people for allegedly publishing a caricature of Prophet Muhammad. According to sources, presumably after having failed to come up to their expectations and deliver the expected task from pro-Khalistan Sikh leader, Gopal Singh Chawla, Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is now trying to project a pseudo-Sikh figure to further their anti-India designs. Sources in Pakistan revealed that Gopal Singh Chawla has not only failed to make new ‘recruitments’ to carry out disruptive activities in India but he has also failed to spark anti-India sentiments among the Indian jatha that recently arrived back from Pakistan after celebrating the festival of Vaisakhi.
Pakistan 29-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s Religious and Minorities Affair Department has failed completely to utilize its Rs 370.20 million funds in the first 10 months of this fiscal year in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). According to the official sources, out of the Rs 370 million allocated funds around Rs 350 million were released by the Finance Department but the Religious Affairs Department only managed to utilize Rs 110.93 million funds.
India 29-Apr-2021
Low-key celebrations to mark the 400th Parkash Gurupurab (birth anniversary) of the ninth Sikh Master Guru Tegh Bahadur began in Amritsar city, with the covid-19 surge a major dampener.
Canada 30-Apr-2021
The pro-Khalistani separatist group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) said that the government of India has blocked a Canadian website that aims to raise funds for COVID-19 patients abroad. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and chief of SFJ, said it launched a website (OxygenFund.org) on April 27 to connect patients in four Indian states with donations to buy liquid oxygen. However, the group launched another site April 29, Oxygen4Punjab.org, which was blocked again within hours. Though the government of India didn’t respond to it, Anshuman Gaur, India's deputy high commissioner to Canada, said that his government has labelled SFJ a terrorist group, but could not comment on whether the state blocked its site.
India 30-Apr-2021
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) marked the 184th martyrdom anniversary of great Sikh general Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa at Gurdwara Diwan Hall Manji Sahib situated in Sri Darbar Sahib complex.
India 01-May-2021
According to report, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized around 215-kg heroin till April 30 this year along the 553-km-long border with Pakistan this year (2021), which is the highest in the corresponding periods of last five years. The recovery was around 130 kg and 75 kg for the corresponding periods of 2020 and 2019, respectively.
India 01-May-2021
As part of the 400th Prakash Purab celebrations of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh dedicated several development projects to the people, including conservation and development of Old Jail at Bassi Pathana where the 9th Guru, along with his supporters, was imprisoned by Noor Mohammad Khan Mirza for 40 days while he was reportedly on his way to meet Emperor Aurangzeb. The CM said the state government had sent a detailed Memorandum to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a grant of Rs. 938.37 crore for various infrastructural projects in the State as a part of the historic celebrations.
India 01-May-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 10 packets of heroin, weighing 10.5 kg, along the Pakistan border in Ferozepur district. The seized contraband is worth Rs 55 crore in the international market.
India 02-May-2021
The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the district police arrested three persons, identified as Parmjit Singh, Devinder Singh and Mohd Aasif and recovered 300-kg poppy husk from near Thaman Singh Wala in Sangrur district.
India 02-May-2021
Police arrested five persons, including the son of former Cabinet Minister Sucha Singh Langah for possessing heroin from Dhariwal in Gurdaspur district . SSP Nanak Singh said, “All five — Aditya Mahajan, Kunal Kumar, Sudhir Singh, Rajesh Kumar and Parkash Singh Langah — were found consuming drugs at a private residence in Dhariwal. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at the Dhariwal police station. I have formed a team of officers who are investigating the case”.
India 04-May-2021
According to sources, the outlawed pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is indulging in what officials call an “oxygen conspiracy”. Punjab officials allege that SFJ is trying to fish in troubled waters to increase its followers in the border state. Over two dozen calls have been tracked down that show Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s organisation promising Rs 3,000 to Punjab Covid-19 patients in need of oxygen. Pannun has announced that Sikhs for Justice will provide “Oxygen money” (Rs 3,000) to each Covid patient in Maharashtra, UP, West Bengal and Punjab. SFJ has launched a website www.oxygenfund.org for registration to get oxygen money of Rs 3,000. Police believe that at least 200-250 random calls with the message have been made. But the desperate attempt by SFJ has not paid dividends as average calls were cut a couple of seconds into the conversation. It is the same organisation that has also tried to milk the farmer agitation.
India 04-May-2021
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 4 dismissed the bail plea of Jagtar Singh Hawara, in a 15-year-old case registered under sections of Arms Act, Explosives Act and waging war against Government of India, at PS 17 Chandigarh. The court held that “there are serious allegations against the petitioner of waging war against the Government of India and indulging in revival of terrorism and formation of Khalistan.” Hawara, who is lodged in Model Jail of Chandigarh, in his bail plea had contended through his counsel that he is in custody for more than 15 years and the trial against him has not commenced in the case. The court, while dismissing the plea of Hawara said that “In the present case, there are serious allegations against the petitioner of waging war against the Government of India and indulging in revival of terrorism and formation of Khalistan. It has also been noticed by the Trial Court that it had already written to the authorities of Chandigarh Administration to intimate about the status of notification under Section 268 CrPC whereupon necessary orders of commencement of trial would be passed.”
India 04-May-2021
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) said that the Sikh community has been serving people through gurudwaras during the COVID pandemic and it would be a shame to connect this service (Sewa) with the demand for Khalistan. Harpreet Singh Kalka, General Secretary of DSGMC said, "Some people say that the fund is coming from Khalistan. Even the last time during the farmers' protest, those people had alleged the same. They should be ashamed to say where this money is coming from."
India 04-May-2021
The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Mohali granted bail to eight accused arrested in connection with the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee comrade Balwinder Singh Sandhu as charge-sheet was not presented against them within the stipulated 180 days. Sandhu, who was conferred with the bravery award for fighting terrorism in Punjab, was gunned down by two bike-borne men at his home in Bhikhiwind town of Tarn Taran district on October 16, 2020.
India 05-May-2021
Dal Khalsa expressed grief over the demise of Chairman of Theerek-e-Hurriyat Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai at Jammu hospital. Party Spokesman Kanwar Pal Singh in a statement said Sehrai was a genuine friend of Sikhs of Punjab.
India 05-May-2021
The management of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib at Patna in Bihar has received a signed threatening letter from an individual that reads: “Give me Rs 50 crore or I’ll blow up the Takht and Gurdwara Bal Leela”. This is for the first time that someone had dared to threaten to harm one of the five temporal seats of the Sikhs, Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Ranjit Singh said.
India 05-May-2021
Police arrested a person, identified as Gagandeep Singh and seized 60,000 tramadol tablets (opioid-based narcotics) and 360 Wincirex syrup vials from his possession in Patiala in Patiala district.
India 06-May-2021
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as ArashDeep Singh alias Arsh on the charge of selling opium and recovered 1 kilogram opium from his possession in Shahkot in Jalandhar district.
Pakistan 07-May-2021
According to sources, a group of Sikh leaders of Pakistan, reportedly led by former Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president, Bishan Singh, held a meeting with the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) top brass seeking change in leadership. Sources alleged that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) bosses were not “satisfied” with the performance of the present PSGPC president Satwant Singh in finding “soft targets” from among the Indian Sikh jathas to push the Khalistan movement. Taking advantage of this, a Sikh lobby led by Gopal Singh Chawla is trying to oust Satwant, they added.
India 07-May-2021
Police arrested two men, who were using an ambulance to smuggle drugs from UP and supply them to their clients in Ludhiana, along with more than 1 lakh intoxicating tablets in Ludhiana.
India 08-May-2021
Punjab Police managed to bust the entire part of gangster-cum-drug smuggler Gavi module active in the state with the arrest of his five accomplices and they also recovered 1.25 kg heroin from Gavi's rented flat located at Urban Homes-2 in Kharar in SAS Nagar district besides seizing three Pistols including one .30 calibre Chinese Pistol and two .32 calibre Pistols and 23 live cartridges from his hideouts. Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said that Three vehicles, including Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Verna, which were being used for drug smuggling have also been recovered.
India 08-May-2021
A resident of Arjan Manga village in Hoshiarpur district received threat calls from unidentified persons on a social media app from different mobile numbers of Pakistan. The callers accuse him of using objectionable remarks against Khalistan sympathisers. According to the police, the complainant alleged on April 13 he got a message in Punjab language from a Pakistan number accusing him of being anti-Sikh. He said he was getting threats by way of recorded messages and video calls. They threatened to kill him and his family.
Afghanistan 08-May-2021
The explosion in Kabul on May 8, which left over fifty dead, has not only refreshed the memories of March 2020 gurudwara blast in Kabul in the minds of minority Sikh and Hindu communities but has also forced the remaining minority families to mull their future. However, they are reluctant to move to India due to prevalent Covid situation.
India 09-May-2021
The Moga CIA Staff arrested a drug peddler, identified as Amanpreet Singh and recovered 2 kg of contraband opium from his possession from Moga in Moga district. The CIA staff disclosed that the peddler brought 3 Kg of contraband opium from Madhya Pradesh and he sold 1 Kg to his permanent customer and the remaining 2 Kg he came to provide to his customers in Moga.
United States 10-May-2021
According a report in Newsweek, a weekly American magazine, New Delhi has prevented a United States (US) based Sikh advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) from providing financial support to the Indians who are unable to afford the high cost of oxygen. The SFJ said the Indian government blocked its COVID-19 relief website, oxygenfund.org, which was aimed at connecting the needy Indians with Sikhs in the US, Canada and other countries willing to donate money. Amid the block, according to the report, the group now operates through WhatsApp to reach the Indians in desperate need.
United States 10-May-2021
According a report in Newsweek, a weekly American magazine, New Delhi has prevented a United States (US) based Sikh advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) from providing financial support to the Indians who are unable to afford the high cost of oxygen. The SFJ said the Indian government blocked its COVID-19 relief website, oxygenfund.org, which was aimed at connecting the needy Indians with Sikhs in the US, Canada and other countries willing to donate money. Amid the block, according to the report, the group now operates through WhatsApp to reach the Indians in desperate need.
India 12-May-2021
A downward trend in Covid-19 trajectory in both India and Pakistan will be the deciding factor for the visit of two Sikh jathas scheduled to leave from India for Pakistan in June to observe the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur said, “We will take a decision as per the Covid-19 situation at that time.”
India 12-May-2021
The Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi, headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna, and the Jag Aasra Guru Ott party led by Manjit Singh GK objected to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) accepting a donation of Rs 2 crore from actor Amitabh Bachchan for the Covid facility created at Rakab Ganj Sahib Gurdwara. They accused Bachchan of being involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and said accepting money from him was wrong.
Pakistan 12-May-2021
A granthi of a Pakistan Gurdwara was suspended after his sleazy video went viral on the net causing much embarrassment to the authorities of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and its parent body Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
India 13-May-2021
A jatha of Sikh devotees led by Amarjit Singh and RamPal Singh along with members Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will leave for Pakistan to observe shaheedi divas of 5th Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Arjan Dev which falls on June 6. SGPC Spokesman said that the jatha will return back to India on June 15.
Pakistan 13-May-2021
A United States (US) body on religious freedom in its latest report has been scathing in its criticism of Pakistan and China over the appalling condition of the minority communities in their states. Stating that underage girls from the Hindu, Sikh and Christian communities continue to be kidnapped for conversion to Islam, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in its annual report said that around 1,000 such incidents occur in Pakistan every year.
India 14-May-2021
The president Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), BIbi Jagir kaur condemned brutal assault and desecration of ‘Kesh’ (hair) of a Sikh youth in Rajasthan.
India 14-May-2021
Rural Police arrested two drug smugglers, identified as Inderjit Singh and Balwinder Kumar, and recovered 2 kg of opium from their possession in Phagwara in Kapurthala district.