KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
United Kingdom 02-Feb-2022
United Kingdom (UK) home secretary Priti Patel has been accused of smearing Sikhs after she referred to Sikh separatist extremism as a “shared security threat” the UK had with the US in a speech she gave on November 19, 2021. In the speech in Washington DC to the Heritage Foundation, a think tank which promotes Conservative public policies and values, Patel spoke about “the global picture and the various threats” that the UK and US face as allies, all of which “endanger our shared freedom and prosperity”. While discussing Islamist extremism, Daesh and extreme right-wing terror groups, she said, “Sikh separatist extremism has also caused considerable tensions in recent years. While we stoutly defend freedom of expression, it must always be within the law. We have expanded our disruptions capability to better address those people who seek to radicalize but who operate, often intentionally, below legal thresholds.” Meanwhile, Dabinderjit Singh, principal adviser of the Sikh Federation (UK), said that he had been raising this “quietly” with ministers ever since November asking them to explain her comments. He said, “No one has been able to. This is not just a speech but a speech on the UK government website. If Sikhs had carried out a bomb blast in Britain, it may have been legitimate to say that. We are shocked the home secretary has made such remarks… What incident in Britain would make the home secretary start saying she is worried about Sikh separatist extremists? Is it on the back of the 2020 Khalistan referendum in Britain? She says she has banned the political wing of Hamas and the undertone is that is why she is mentioning Sikhs.”
India 02-Feb-2022
A Pakistani youth was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) as he intruded into the Indian territory crossing over the International Border (IB) in Ferozepur sector in Ferozepur district on February 2 night.
United Kingdom 03-Feb-2022
A peer in the House of Lords and chairman of the British Sikh Association, Lord Rami Ranger, said that United Kingdom (UK) home secretary Priti Patel was “right” to say during a speech to a United States (US) think tank that "Sikh separatist extremism has caused considerable tensions in recent years”. He said that as home secretary of the UK, Patel “is right to ensure Britain never becomes a launchpad for terrorists”. “Every British citizen who has taken an oath of alignment to Her Majesty the Queen must be loyal and work hard to become an asset to the nation. Engaging in criminal activities against any nation is punishable by law. With the new nationality bill, they could be removed from the country and stripped of their citizenship,” he said. Ranger urged “anti-India Sikhs” to be like the Sikh Gurus who “were committed to their Mother India and paid supreme sacrifices to preserve India’s ancient civilization”. “Anti-India Sikhs should learn from the Kashmiri militants who have been terrorizing their fellow Kashmiris for three decades and have gained nothing except to hinder the progress of Kashmiris along with causing death and destruction to their fellow citizens,” Ranger added.
India 03-Feb-2022
The Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on February 3 said in Rajya Sabha that a small fringe group of pro-Khalistan elements in Canada is spreading anti-India feelings and the government remained closely engaged with that country over the issue. He said that both governments have recognized the fundamental principle of respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India and Canada as the basis of bilateral ties. "The vast majority of people of Indian origin in Canada share a warm emotional bond with India and have worked for the betterment of relations between India and Canada…. There is a small fringe group of pro-Khalistan elements in Canada who spread anti-India feelings through their extremist statements and activities," the Minister said. "The government of India remains closely engaged with the Government of Canada to address our concerns relating to anti-India activities by the extremist elements," he added.
Pakistan 04-Feb-2022
The Sikh community around the world condemned Pakistan for removing the statue of great Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa in Haripur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.
India 04-Feb-2022
According to a report prepared by the Hudson Institute, Pakistan is reviving its previous tactics to spread hatred, disrupt communal harmony and promote extremism in India as Islamabad has been supporting jihadi activities against New Delhi to disrupt peace in the country. Pakistan's security apparatus has for decades supported jihadi and Khalistani groups that have targeted India, and a revival of this activity should be a source of concern to the American national security apparatus as well as India's, said the report. The Institute’s report further stated that Jaswinder Singh Multani, who was arrested in Germany for allegedly masterminding a blast at Ludhiana court in December 2021, is reportedly a leading member of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) movement. The SFJ's public face, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has apparently confirmed this fact, revealing a close relationship with Multani. Over the years, Sikhs for Justice has written public letters to the prime minister of Pakistan and the presidents of Russia and China, seeking their support against India. The Hudson Institute report, Pakistan's Destabilization Playbook: Khalistan Separatism within the US, which was authored by a group, emphasizes the need for law enforcement in Western countries to be vigilant with respect to Pakistan-backed extremist groups.
India 04-Feb-2022
A 13-member committee ‘Political Prisoner Release Committee’ was constituted during the meeting of various Sikh organizations on the issue of the release of Sikh prisoners from various jails. The 13-member committee has been authorized to take up the issue of political prisoners and other Sikh prisoners with government representatives. Sikh organisations led by Dal Khalsa, Alliance of Sikh Organisations and farmer organisations led by BKU (Doaba) constituted the coordination committee for the release of political prisoners. The 13-member committee included Baba Hardeep Singh Mehraj, Baba Hardeep Singh Dibdiba, HS Majhi, Kisan leaders Amarjit Singh Sandhu, Gurpal Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Narien Singh and Jaskaran Singh with Advocate Jaspal Singh Manjpur as its legal adviser.
Canada 05-Feb-2022
Tejinder Singh Sidhu, President, World Sikh Organization of Canada, in his letter to Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, described hardships faced by Canadian Gurdwaras and the Sikh community as a result of restrictive immigration policies. Due to Covid, restrictive immigration policies have frozen the arrival of Sikh parcharaks (religious workers) into Canada for the past two years.
India 05-Feb-2022
According to reports, for Pakistan-based terror outfits, the Indo-Pak border in Punjab is the favoured route when it comes to weapon supply. According to data compiled by Border Security Force (BSF), the Punjab border has recorded 450 per cent more seizures than the Jammu border, which used to be a priority route. Data also points to Pakistan’s intentions towards India as 2021 was the year when the neighbour attempted maximum chances to send weapons across since 2019. The figure has been increasing every year. The total number of weapons seized in 2019 and 2020 was not even half the total seized last year. In 2019 and 2020, BSF seized 49 weapons from the Indo-Pak border in Punjab, but in 2021, the force seized 58. The situation on the Punjab border is more serious, and weapons smuggling witnessed a massive rise. In 2019, BSF seized 247 weapons, while it seized 750 in 2020. These numbers witnessed a rise of 340 per cent in 2021. Last year, 3,322 cases were recorded by BSF. The Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan, which was earlier reporting minor cases, recorded none this year. According to data, BSF seized the largest haul from the Punjab border among other borders where the force is deployed. “Drones and local networks have made Punjab an easy route to smuggle arms into India. It requires no human life to get involved and is an easy way out. There has been a massive rise in such cases detected by BSF, but many were missed by the force and Punjab Police,” a senior BSF official said.
India 05-Feb-2022
The Dal Khalsa, while condemning the arrest of Fahad Shah, editor-in-chief of online news magazine The Kashmir Walla, asked the Government of India to stop gagging the media. Fahad was arrested on February 4, three days after he was questioned by the police along with three other journalists for “incorrect reporting” about a gun battle in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
India 06-Feb-2022
Two Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) were pushed back by Border Security Force (BSF) stationed in Gurdaspur in Punjab in the wee hours on February 6. According to sources, the first attempt was intercepted by BSF personnel at about 1:30 AM while the second drone's entry was hampered at 2:10 AM.
India 07-Feb-2022
The pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs For Justice’s (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in his new video, called to block any of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s movement in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. In the threatening video, Pannun also states that the PM will be reminded of Indira Gandhi. The terror inciting video also calls to the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and claims that the ‘freeing of Punjab’ would pave the way for Kashmir’s freedom as well.
Canada 07-Feb-2022
Several Indian media outlets published a report calling out Jagmeet Singh’s denunciation of trucker’s strike, support of farmers protests as they term it is a hypocritical move. The report said “The Sikh-origin leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) who is now condemning truckers strike in Ottawa, had staunchly supported the farmers' protests in India last year.”
India 07-Feb-2022
The Mehat Pur police arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) absconding for one year in a case of drug peddling, identified as Jasjit Singh alias Jiti in Jalandhar district.
United States 08-Feb-2022
Pro-Khalistan outfit 'Sikhs For Justice' (SFJ) vandalized a life-sized statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Chicago and San Francisco in the United States (US). According to reports, this is the second such incident by the secessionist group SFJ in the past four days. The banned outfit also pasted posters with abusive language that can be read as “I am rapist & father of India: Rape Capital of world.” Earlier SFJ vandalised the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Union Square Park, New York. The 8-foot-high statue, located in Manhattan’s Union Square, was defaced by some unknown persons, the Consulate General of India said. “The Consulate condemns this act of vandalism in the strongest terms. The matter has been taken up with local authorities. The matter has also been taken up with the US State Department for immediate investigation and urged appropriate action against those responsible for this despicable act,” it said.
India 08-Feb-2022
The Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on February 8 informed the Lok Sabha that as many as 47 terror modules related to Khalistani separatist activities were busted in Punjab in the last three years. The Minister also said that eight people died in Khalistani related terror incidents in 2019, 2020 and 2021. “As regards the Khalistani separatist activities, in the year 2019, seven terror or radical modules were busted in Punjab as against 15 such modules in 2020 and 25 modules in 2021. No loss of property was reported during the period,” he said replying to a written question. Rai said two persons died in Punjab during 2019 in Khalistani related terror incidents, as against three persons in 2020 and three persons (one victim and two perpetrators) in 2021.
India 08-Feb-2022
According to official sources, the Delhi Police’s special cell, which is investigating the role of seven men arrested from Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in September last year for allegedly plotting terror attacks across North India, has already prepared a charge-sheet in the case and is likely to submit it before city court this week. In addition to the alleged roles of the arrested terror suspects, the charge-sheet is expected to contain details on how the RDX, allegedly recovered from them, was smuggled into the country from Pakistan through the Punjab border.
India 08-Feb-2022
Police recovered narcotics, sharp-edged weapons and mobile phones, from gangsters lodged at Bathinda Central Jail in Bathinda district during a special search operation. Bathinda SSP Amneet Kaundal said that “a smartphone was recovered from gangster Baljinder Singh Billa. Ganja and tobacco were recovered from gangster Kirpal Singh. Apart from this, some iron material was recovered.”
India 09-Feb-2022
According to reports, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has requested concerned agencies to issue a lookout circular and blue corner notice against Jaswinder Singh Multani, an alleged Khalistani operative linked to the recent bomb blast in a Ludhiana court and for attempts to “foment trouble” in poll-bound Punjab. NIA sources revealed that it has requested Interpol to issue a ‘blue corner’ notice against Multani, who is allegedly a close aide of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun wanted in multiple cases registered by central agencies and Punjab Police. Central agencies request Interpol to issue ‘blue corner’ notice to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities with relation to a crime. Similarly, a Look Out Circular (LOC) will help NIA to track Multani’s movement in case he visits India through his passport. The agencies deployed at the airport will alert NIA and stop him from travelling further. The NIA has also announced Rs 10-lakh reward on the Germany-based Multani.
India 09-Feb-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) on February 9 recovered over 4 kg of RDX, a pistol and bomb-making items dropped in two packets by a drone that flew from Pakistan into an Indian farm along the border in Ajnala sub-division of Amritsar district of Punjab. According to BSF spokesperson, troops fired after they heard a "buzzing sound of a suspected flying object coming from the Pakistani side to the Indian side" around 1 am in the Panjgrain area of Gurdaspur sector. A search was later conducted and the BSF party recovered two yellow-coloured packets, lying about 20 m apart embedded in the wet soil, which contained about 4.7 kg RDX, a China-made pistol, two magazines with 22 bullets, three electronic detonators, timer device, detonating cord (cordtex wire), splinters, cells, steel container, nylon thread, plastic pipe, packing material and ₹ 1 lakh cash. The drone that dropped the packets about 2.7 km into the Indian side from the border fence is suspected to have escaped to the Pakistani side.
India 10-Feb-2022
During the fourth India- United Kingdom (UK) home affairs dialogue held via virtual mode, India raised concerns with the UK on anti-India activities being carried out by certain extremist and radical elements from its soil, and urged the UK authorities to keep vigil over such activities and take appropriate proactive action. The home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla led the Indian side and UK permanent secretary, home office, Mathey Rycroft, headed the UK delegation.
India 10-Feb-2022
The Election Commission of India (ECI) told Punjab and Haryana high court that drugs worth Rs 312.8 crore (3,999 kg) have been seized in Punjab since poll code was enforced on January 8, 2022.
India 10-Feb-2022
Punjab Police’s special task force (STF) busted an international drug racket with the arrest of three people, including a former deputy superintendent of police, an NRI kabaddi player and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) in Mohali in SAS Nagar district. The key accused, NRI kabaddi player Ranjeet Singh, alias Jeeta Maur, was allegedly running the drug racket in connivance with police officials and politicians and was parking the drug money in the real estate business. STF also recovered 100-gram heroin and a weapon from Ranjeet. Besides Ranjeet Singh, other accused are his wife Rajinder Kaur, former DSP Vimal Kant, Canada-based NRI Davinder Singh, two ASIs Munish Kumar and Jagdish Singh, Gurjant Singh and Bhupinder Singh of Tarn Taran, Simranjit Singh of Phagwara, Jalandhar-based chartered accountants (CAs) Dinesh Sarna and Manoj Sarna and Arendeep Singh of Kapurthala.
India 11-Feb-2022
Using the ongoing Hijab controversy as an opportunity, the banned pro-Khalistan outfit, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) provoked the Muslim community in India and appealed them to protest. SFJ, in its message, asked the people of India to ‘learn from Pakistan’ that created a Muslim country. SFJ led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun asks Muslims in the country to use the row as an opportunity for the Balkanisation of India. Furthermore, the group has also stated that the group will fund the movement for Hijabs and fight for creating a separate country. The pro-Khalistan terror group has allegedly provoked the people of the Muslim community over Hijab row and said that the Modi government will ban Aazan and Quran after Hijabs.
India 11-Feb-2022
The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju said that various Enforcement Agencies have recovered 1.18 lakh litre of licit liquor, 34,650 litre of illicit liquor, 15.53 lakh litre of lahan (raw material used to make liquor), 4170 kg of poppy husk, 32.70 kg of opium, 164 kg ganja, 33,141 grams of heroin, 263 grams of smack, 7456 grams of charas, 10,784 capsules, 479 vials of syrup, and 4,73,733 tablets till February 11.
India 12-Feb-2022
Intel inputs warned that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is trying to fuel the hijab controversy in India, through banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SJF). The Intel note said, "ISI is pushing the concept of hijab referendum in India." The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has also warned police forces and law enforcement agencies to keep a close watch on the 'Hijab Refrendum' being pushed by the ISI through terror group SFJ. "Some anti-India elements might join the chorus of Sikhs for Justice chief Gurupatwanr Singh Pannun in organising the hijab referendum and celebrating the concept of urduistan," the intel inputs warned. It also said that the SFJ has called upon Muslims in India to start a 'Hijab Refrendum' movement to carve out 'Urduistan' in areas of Rajasthan, Delhi, UP, Bihar and West Bengal.
India 12-Feb-2022
According to reports, there has been a huge recovery of narcotics in the run-up to the Punjab elections, beating the 2012 record when drugs emerged as a major issue for the first time. Since the imposition of the model code of conduct in the state, security forces under the command of the Election Commission have seized 33 kg of heroin and 4,707 kg of poppy husk. During the 2017 elections, 11.92 kg of heroin and 2,342 kg of poppy husk were seized and in 2012, the quantity was 23.54 kg and 2,707 kg.
India 13-Feb-2022
Issuing a warning to concerned judges of the Karnataka High Court (HC) that have prescribed a student dress code, the chief of the banned extremist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) threatened that it would start a 'hijab referendum' similar to the 'Khalistan referendum'. In the audio message, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, "This message is for Karnataka High Court judges... do not ban the hijab. this message is from Sikhs For Justice general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, from Washington DC." After Pannun warned against bad consequences, the pro-Khalistan terror group referred to the reaction of Rashad Hussain, US Ambassador of Advance Religious Freedom worldwide. Referring to Hussain's tweet, the SFJ chief said, "The Biden administration has also condemned the ban on hijab." Further, he said, "Karnataka High Court judges, remember! Do not ban the hijab. It is against the freedom of the Muslim community. If you do ban hijab, like Khalistan referendum which we are doing to liberate Punjab. We will start the hijab referendum for Muslim states. Do not ban the hijab."
India 14-Feb-2022
According to reports, amid threats from Khalistani and Pakistan supported terror outfits, the Union Government has decided to deploy a large number of security forces in Punjab for the forthcoming Assembly elections scheduled on February 20. Sources revealed that around 455 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will be deployed in the border state, and the process of deployment has already begun. This would be in addition to Punjab police personnel who will be responsible for managing the law-and-order situation in the state. The sources also said that over 200 companies have already reached Punjab for election duty, while the rest of the forces will be deployed in the state latest by February 16.
India 14-Feb-2022
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested three persons, identified as Sarbjeet Singh, Shamsher Singh and Baldev Singh, allegedly involved in the smuggling of 33kg heroin recovered by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Pakistan border in Tarn Taran in December 2021. According to NCB, all the three smugglers were detained from Khemkaran area of the Tarn Taran district.
India 15-Feb-2022
Actor Deep Sidhu, the prime accused in last year’s Republic Day violence case, was killed in a road mishap on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway. Sidhu was facing a criminal trial for spearheading the Red Fort violence.
India 15-Feb-2022
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General SN Pradhan revealed that India has witnessed an exponential increase of 300 percent in heroin seizures -- from 2146 kg in 2017 to 7282 kg in 2021 -- in the last five years. Similarly, there is an increase of 172 percent in the seizure of opium - from 2551 kg in 2017 to 4386 kg in 2021 - and a 191 percent increase in the seizure of cannabis from 3, 52, 539 kg in 2017 to 6, 75, 631 kg in 2021.
India 15-Feb-2022
The Digital Forensics, Research and Analytics Center (DFRAC) reported that Pakistan is using the digital medium to fulfill their 'wicked agenda' and defame India on the ongoing Hijab row controversy. This "dirty trick" is being played by Pakistan to disturb India's internal peace and distract common people from the problems in their own country, the report said.
India 15-Feb-2022
According to reports, separatist Sikh body, Dal Khalsa decided to boycott the February 20 Punjab assembly polls, stating that it believes that the resolution to the state’s problems lies in referendum under the United Nations (UN) and not elections under the Indian dispensation. The president of Dal Khalsa, Harpal Singh Cheema said that despite Sikhs forming governments in Punjab and sending members to the Parliament, the Punjab problem has remained the same even after 40 years. Party leaders also urged the people to think before casting their vote, saying Punjab does not have its own capital city, the waters of Punjab unabatedly flow to Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan without royalty to the riparian state.
India 16-Feb-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered some bottles containing 3.950 kg heroin worth Rs 20 crore along with Chinese pistols, besides two magazines and 26 live rounds, in Tarn Taran in Tarn Taran district. According to the report, the BSF jawans observed some suspicious movement and heard a thumping sound during the wee hours following which a search operation was carried out.
India 16-Feb-2022
Police arrested a drug peddler, identified as Gurjeet Singh alias Jeeta and recovered 10 kg of opium from him in Kapurthala in Kapurthala district.
India 16-Feb-2022
Few youths from Ambala and nearby Punjab village areas gathered to pay homage to actor-turned-activist Sandeep Singh Sidhu alias Deep Sidhu and raised slogans including "Deep Sidhu Zindabad" (long live Deep Sidhu), "Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal", "Deep Sidhu amar rahe", "Deep Sidhu teri soch te pehra devange thok ke" (Deep Sidhu will stand firm on your vision), "Raj Karega Khalsa", and "Khalistan Zindabad". Some of the youths also raised the slogan "Shaheed Deep Sidhu Zindabad", while terming him as a martyr.
India 17-Feb-2022
The Counter Intelligence wing of the Punjab Police arrested a former militant, Harjant Singh alias DC, along with 3 kg of heroin smuggled from across the International Border. Police recovered the contraband allegedly smuggled via a drone at Ghonewala village, falling under the Dera Baba Nanak police station in Gurdaspur district. Later it was found that the heroin was smuggled by a Pakistan-based smuggler.
India 17-Feb-2022
Three men, identified as Jagtar Singh, Harjinder Singh and Daljit Singh were arrested with 13kg of opium at a checkpoint on the Sidhwan-Swaddi Kalan Link Road in Ludhiana district. Police also recovered ₹12,900, allegedly earned from the sale of drugs, from them.
India 17-Feb-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC), in connection with the drug menace in the state, has made it clear that Punjab — once known as one of the prosperous states — was on the brink. The assertion came as the HC called for dealing stringently with the accused even at the stage of granting a bail in drug cases involving commercial quantity.
India 17-Feb-2022
According to officials, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been asked by various states to investigate 25 important drug cases to unearth a larger pan-India conspiracy. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently urged states to work jointly with the NCB to unearth the larger conspiracy of drug rackets having national and international links. NCB Director Satya Narayan Pradhan had written a letter to various states in November last year, requesting them to hand over important cases to the agency.
India 17-Feb-2022
According to top Intelligence sources, the current Hijab controversy in Karnataka seems to be fuelled by Pakistan as more than 100 Twitter accounts in the name of Muskan Khan have been created since February 9, after her video went viral on the Internet where she is seen chanting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ when allegedly heckled by a group of miscreants. One of the multiple fake accounts has nearly 5,000 followers with earlier location traced to Pakistan, the sources said.
India 17-Feb-2022
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), alleged that the top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had fudged the letter “of him supporting AAP” to garner support of radicals. This comes after the letter was circulated on social media which read that Pannun has announced that he will be supporting the Aam Aadmi Party as Punjab goes to polls on February 20.
India 18-Feb-2022
Intelligence agencies have sounded a nationwide alert after Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun released a video on Facebook where he issued a call for 'Rail-Punjab Bandh' on February 19. Voting for Punjab's 117-member assembly is set to take place in a single phase on February 20. Pannun has also asked his followers to install "Kesri Khalistan" flags at polling stations in Punjab and shout slogans of "Khalistan Zindabad" on the day of the election. In the video, Pannun also termed the recent death of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu as a "political murder". Blaming the Government of India for his death, he also asked his followers to avenge the actor-turned-activist's death. Pannun also said that Deep Sidhu was a "true follower" of Jarnail Singh Bhrindanwale and always supported the demand for a separate Khalistan.
United States 19-Feb-2022
According to reports, a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in New York was defaced earlier this month by unknown culprits, igniting outrage and condemnation from the Indian American community in the city. The 8-foot-tall statue, located in Union Square near New York University, did not suffer permanent damage from the incident on Feb. 4. People investigating the incident said that the vandals reportedly covered the statue with a cloth and wrote obscenities on it, saving it from permanent damage and extensive cleanup. “The Consulate condemns this act of vandalism in the strongest terms," the Consulate General of India in New York said in a statement issued after the incident. “The matter has also been taken up with the US State Department for immediate investigation and urged appropriate action against those responsible for this despicable act.”
India 19-Feb-2022
Four persons who are allegedly associated with Khalistani terrorist groups, identified as Sunil, Jatin, Sagar and Surendra, were arrested with a cache of illegal weapons in Sonipat in Sonipat district of Haryana on February 19. An automatic AK-47, four foreign pistols, one country made pistol, and 56 cartridges were recovered from their possession. Sonipat Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Sharma said that primary probe revealed that the illegal weapons had been provided by Khalistani terrorists, who had deposited lakhs in the accused’s bank accounts as well. “The accused were connected to the main leaders of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) through social media,” SP said. The arrested accused also admitted to killing one Avtar Singh in Udhampur Kalan village of Punjab on the behest of Khalistani leaders, Sharma added.
India 19-Feb-2022
Just hours before the Punjab Polls the Khalistani secessionist organization, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) made some revelations regarding the Punjab Assembly Elections that are due for February 20. SFJ claimed that around 20 thousand Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Punjab who are on election duty are in constant contact with the SFJ and they will also be conducting polling on the Khalistan referendum. "Thousands of BLOs have assured their support to SFJ ion Campaigning for Khalistan on 20th February and also pledged to organise the Khalistan referendum voting in Punjab," said Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, in a video message. Pannun also launched an attack on Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu asking if he is a "terrorist" or an "ISI" agent citing his contacts with Pakistan PM Imran Khan and General Bajwa.
India 19-Feb-2022
The intelligence agencies issued a nationwide security alert after pro-Khalistan outfit, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) call for a bandh. As Punjab is set to go for polling on February 20 Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is the founder of SFJ, issued a video and called for a ‘Rail-Punjab Bandh’ on February 19. In the video, Pannun has also asked his followers to install "Kesri Khalistan" flags at polling stations in Punjab and shout slogans of "Khalistan Zindabad" on the day of the election.
India 19-Feb-2022
The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police claimed that Rs 2.02 crore, a huge cache of arms, ammunition, liquor and drugs were seized during the Model Code of Conduct enforced in Ludhiana district since January 8. Besides, 546 anti-social elements, troublemakers, law-breakers and proclaimed offenders have been arrested while 19,112 licensed arms have been deposited with the police, the officials said. The Commissioner of Police, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, said that cash amounting to Rs 2,02,45,835, which is a record seizure so far, was recovered during the search and seizure operations during the poll code. While Rs 1,71,25,655 were released after verification, the remaining cash of Rs 29.96 lakh is still under investigation. He disclosed that nine illegal arms, 33 cartridges, 6,000 litres of licit liquor, 120 litres of illicit liquor, 1,99,920 litres of lahan, 82 kg of poppy husk, 128.5 gram heroin, 480 intoxicating tablets, 2.2 kg of opium, 2 kg of charas, and 14,950 kg of ganja have been seized during the poll code.
India 20-Feb-2022
Amid polling in Punjab for 2022 Assembly polls, the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered three packets of contraband suspected to be heroin weighing 3 Kgs in the Abohar sector in Fazilka district on February 20. According to the official statement, observing suspicious movement ahead of the Border Security Fence in AOR of Abohar Sector, the troops fired to stop 'further misadventure' and the smuggler managed to flee away to Pakistan territory.
India 20-Feb-2022
According to reports, with the arrest of four youths on February 19, the Sonepat police claimed to have busted a gang which was involved in ‘contract killings’ in Punjab on the directions of banned terrorist group handlers of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). Sources said that prima facie, it was revealed that the accused were in contact with the banned terrorist groups for the past three or four months and they were searching for youths who have criminal records in Haryana but not in Punjab. They were preparing such criminals for contract killings in Punjab on the directions of their handlers in Canada and Australia. The CIA unit of the district police also recovered an AK-47 rifle, 49 rounds of cartridges of AK-47, three foreign-made automated pistols and cartridges from the possession of the accused. Besides, teams of Punjab Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with other intelligence agencies, arrived at Sonepat to interrogate the accused.
India 20-Feb-2022
Remembering the sacrifice of over 150 Sikhs who laid down their lives during the Saka Nankana Sahib on February 20, 1921, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee (SGPC) organized a function to pay homage to the martyrs.
India 21-Feb-2022
More than 30 lakh people in Punjab are currently consuming one or the other kind of drug, mainly among the men, revealed a survey conducted by PGIMER. Alcohol is the maximally abused substance by more than 20 lakh people, followed by tobacco consumed by more than 15 lakh people. The second edition of ‘Roadmap for Prevention and Control of Substance Abuse’ in Punjab edited by Dr J S Thakur, professor of community medicine at PGIMER, was released by Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Banwarilal Purohit.
India 22-Feb-2022
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting took down several mobile applications, social media accounts and websites of foreign-based news outlet Punjab Politics TV for having links with proscribed organization, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), after reviewing “intelligence inputs that the channel was attempting to use online media to disturb public order during the ongoing state assembly elections”. The I&B Ministry’s statement said that, “The ministry of information and broadcasting has ordered blocking of apps, website, and social media accounts of foreign-based Punjab Politics TV for having close links with Sikhs For Justice, an organisation that has been declared unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).” It added that the contents of the blocked apps, website, and social media accounts had the “potential to incite communal disharmony and separatism”. “[They] were found to be detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, and public order. It was also observed that the launch of new apps and social media accounts was timed to gain traction during the ongoing elections,” it said.
Canada 23-Feb-2022
India Government has formally expressed its 'serious concern' to Canada over the appearance of an elected mayor of a city in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area at an event that featured Khalistan flags as well as anti-India slogans. The Indian government’s concern was related to flags of the Khalistan movement being seen in the backdrop to Brampton mayor Patrick Brown’s speech. The demarche issued by India’s High Commission in Ottawa, was related to the mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown attending and addressing a vigil at City Hall for Deep Sidhu, who emerged as a significant figure during the protests against farm laws in India, was arrested for violence at Red Fort on Republic Day last year, and died in an accident this month. The Indian government’s concern was related to flags of the secessionist Khalistan movement being seen in the backdrop to Brown’s speech, as other attendees held placards reading ‘#IndiaKills’.
Canada 23-Feb-2022
A wanted drug smuggler, Sarbjit Singh Sander was found murdered in Langley, Canada, on February 10, central and state security agencies confirmed on February 23. Sander was a co-accused in the Rs 6,000-crore drug smuggling case, in which dismissed cop Jagdish Bhola’s name also cropped up. He was among 11 wanted drug smugglers hiding in Canada. In February 2018, then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had handed over the list of the 11 smugglers to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for their speedy extradition. The Punjab Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also moved applications for the extradition of the accused. According to Police, the murder of Sander ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab was a curious development. “Sander’s murder is a setback to the investigation into the international drug smuggling that involves big fish,” said a police official.
India 23-Feb-2022
Police arrested three persons, identified as Prem Singh, Paramjit Singh and Bittu Singh and recovered 160-kg poppy husk from their car in Fazilka district. According to police, they were trying to smuggle poppy husk from Rajasthan to Jalalabad. Police claimed that the accused brought poppy husk from Bikampur Bikaner for delivery in Rattewala village of Jalalabad.
India 23-Feb-2022
A biker, identified as Naresh Odh was arrested for carrying 400 intoxicating tablets in Abohar in Fazilka district.
Canada 23-Feb-2022
An Indo-Canadian media person and host of a Punjabi-language talk show network in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Deepak Punj was assaulted by a group of three persons, for apparently criticising pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. Deepak Punj, host of Frontline Radio, was accosted by three young men at around 12.30pm local time on February 23, while he was preparing to enter the building housing his studio. The day prior, he had featured a show during which he had criticised the display of Khalistan flags and anti-India slogans during a vigil in Brampton, a GTA town, on February 20. Deepak said, that appeared to be the provocation for the attack. “They asked me if I did a show on this topic, and then attacked me,” he said. One of the as yet unidentified assailants was armed with a handgun, while another hit Punj on the head with an empty beer bottle and punched him. Punj said he reported the assault to local law enforcement and it was being investigated. He said the attackers spoke to him in English and Punjabi. “I’m being harassed because I’m from Punjab and I oppose Khalistan,” he added.
India 24-Feb-2022
The ‘bhog’ ceremony of actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who had died in an accident in Haryana’s Sonipat district, was held at the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) run Gurdwara at Fatehgarh Sahib in Fatehgarh Sahib district. A large number of followers of Sidhu, including leaders like Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, paid tributes to Sidhu. Youth carrying posters of Deep Sidhu on way to the Gurudwara raised pro-Khalistan and Deep Sidhu “amar rahey” slogans. “Saadi majboori hai, Khalistan zaroori hai”, they said raising the slogans. During the bhog ceremony too, some youth raised “Khalistan Zindabad” slogans several times.
India 24-Feb-2022
The Delhi Police arrested 13 terrorists, including two of Pakistan-trained Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Module, in 2021, officials said. In 2020, 32 terrorists were arrested, the highest since 2016. A total of five terrorists were arrested in 2019, eight in 2018, 11 in 2017 and 16 in 2016. Police said that 13 terrorists belonging to different terrorist organisations like the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Pak-trained ISI module, Kuki National Front (KNF) and Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) were arrested and their plans to execute terror strikes in Delhi were foiled. A sizeable quantity of explosives, arms, ammunition and other incriminating material were recovered along with these arrests, they said.
India 24-Feb-2022
A new report by Chandigarh-based Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) revealed that one in seven (15%) in Punjab are currently dependent on addictive substances, both licit and illicit. In absolute numbers, it translates into 40 lakh people. The major concern, as observed by the report, is that among those consuming opioids or chitta (as it’s called in colloquial Punjabi), the number of injecting drug users (IDUs) has gone up considerably.
India 24-Feb-2022
Taking note of drug peddling and use in their area, the residents of Kaljharani village in Bathinda district threatened people in the illicit trade with dire consequences if they are caught. The local villagers threatened to take the law in their hands, saying that they would “break the legs” of anyone found selling drugs.
India 25-Feb-2022
The Nurmahal police arrested two drug peddlers, identified as Jaskaran Singh alias Raju and Jagtar Ram alias Sunny and recovered 470 intoxicant tablets in Jalandhar district.
India 25-Feb-2022
According to reports, at a time when drug addiction is on the rise, the residents of Kaljharani village in Bathinda district have literally waged a war against “chitta”, a highly addictive synthetic drug. Many youngsters have died due to drug overdose in the district in the recent past and the issue had been raked up by various political parties during the recently concluded Assembly elections.
India 25-Feb-2022
After a teenager allegedly died of drug overdose at Gurusar village in Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, the panchayat decided not to help anyone secure bail if found selling drugs. The decision was taken after villagers assembled in protest.
India 26-Feb-2022
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) termed the alleged denial of admission to a six-year-old Sikh boy by a private school in Karnataka’s Mangaluru as an attack on religious freedom of the community. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has also reportedly written to the Karnataka Chief Minister (CM), seeking an appointment to discuss the issue.
United Kingdom 26-Feb-2022
According to intelligence sources, the banned “Punjab Politics TV” operating from the United Kingdom (UK) had been spreading hate against India and propagating pro-Khalistani sentiments in the country and in Punjab for the last one year. Sources confirmed that this social media channel and application was launched by pro-Khalistan sympathisers just ahead of the Punjab elections, and was being widely circulated in the hinterlands of Punjab with the agenda of keeping some political party out of power in the state and to spread Khalistani sentiments among the people of Punjab. The digital platform “Punjab Politics TV” bears the company name “Politics Punjab Broadcasting Ltd” and is registered in the UK with the Companies House, under the government of the United Kingdom. The company was incorporated in March 2021 and since then, it has been active both in the UK and in Punjab. Intelligence agencies have said that they were tracking the activities of this digital media since the last six months when it became quite active in Punjab, keeping in mind the recently held Assembly elections in the state. The intelligence agencies had shared a detailed report with the Ministry of Home Affairs about the activities of this media company and how they had been propagating hate, fake news against Sikhs in India.
India 26-Feb-2022
The Focal Point police arrested a factory worker, identified as Sone Lal Mahato and recovered 1.05-kg opium from him in Gobindgarh village in Ludhiana district. Sone Lal Mahato, who hails from Bihar, had procured the drug from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
Australia 28-Feb-2022
The Australian Hindu Association (AHA) revealed how four Victorian Gurudwaras had jointly planned a pro-Khalistani and anti-India event that took place on February 20, 2022, in Australia in the memory of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu. It also revealed that these Gurudwaras regularly organize incendiary pro-Khalistani, anti-India, and anti-Hindu speeches and events to radicalize young Sikhs on the foreign land. On 20th February 2022, a Sikh Gurudwara in Australia showcased an Anti-India/Hindu poster blatantly in between two so-called Khalistan flags. The poster had hate-filled slogans like ‘End Hindu Fascism’ and ‘India kills Sikhs’ printed on it. It also bore the image of the deceased Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, one of the accused in the 2021 Republic Day riots. The poster was found hanging at the entrance of the Craigieburn Sikh Gurudwara in Australia.
India 28-Feb-2022
According to reports, Ulsoor Gurdwara in Karnataka has written to the Karnataka government to issue a government order (GO) to protect the five Kakkar’s (articles of faith) and the constitutional rights of the Sikh minority community of Karnataka.
India 28-Feb-2022
To mark the 1921 Nankana Sahib massacre, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organised a ‘gurmat samagam’ at Shaheed Sikh Missionary College in Amritsar.
Pakistan 01-Mar-2022
According to reports, Pakistani authorities have set up a joint committee to decide on the handing over of an over 100-year-old gurudwara in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) for its restoration and proper preservation. Officials said that the team constituted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would visit Sri Guru Singh Sabha gurudwara in Mansehra district before finalising its report and submitting it to the authorities.
India 01-Mar-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the states of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Union Territory of Chandigarh, to file status reports on the disposal of case properties in drug matters under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The direction came after Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Sandeep Moudgil issued notice to Haryana Advocate-General and UT Senior Standing Counsel for May third week. The case revolves around the disposal of contraband in a timely manner as per the directions already issued by the Supreme Court (SC)/ Government of India.
India 01-Mar-2022
The Crime Investigation Agency arrested a person, identified as Ravinder Singh (23) and recovered 1.57 kg heroin worth Rs 7.87 crore from his possession in Ferozepur district. Two of his accomplices, Shiva and Anmol, were on the run.
India 01-Mar-2022
A study conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGI), Chandigarh, revealed that every seventh person in Punjab is consuming one or the other kind of drug, which makes up 15.4% of the population in Punjab. The study was done by the Department of community medicine of PGI.
India 02-Mar-2022
Police arrested five drug peddlers and seized 55-kg poppy husk and 600 intoxicating pills from them in Abohar in Fazilka district.
Ukraine 02-Mar-2022
Pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) announced its support for Ukraine and urged Khalistanis to raise an army of ‘foreign fighters to defend Ukraine. SFJ released a video message and a letter supporting Ukraine. In the letter, SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun urged the Ukrainian President to raise a Sikh Regiment as part of the international legion of foreign fighters. Pannun said in the letter that, unlike India, is supporting Russia in the conflict by abstaining from voting at UNSC, Khalistani Sikhs were ready to “defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. He further claimed that this was the right time for Sikhs to “liberate Punjab” by siding with the “anti-India block at international level”.
Australia 28-Mar-2022
A video surfaced on YouTube in which a group of pro-Khalistani Sikhs accused the Craigieburn Gurudwara committee members of calling the Police on them. According to the reports, the committee members had called the Police as they felt threatened by the behavior of the pro-Khalistani group that was scheduled to hold a function inside Gurudwara premises. Australian Hindu Media (AHM), the media wing of the Australian Hindu Association, identified a few of the people in the video as Gurbax Singh Bains, Charanjit Singh, Kuldip Singh and Gurvinder Singh Randhawa. A man armed with a sword accused the committee members of committing sacrilege against the Gurus and weapons of Sikhism.
United Kingdom 31-Mar-2022
United Kingdom (UK) regulator Ofcom suspended the license of Khalsa Television Limited which broadcasts to the Sikh diaspora on its pro-Khalistan Punjabi TV channel KTV after one of its programmes called on UK-based Sikhs to travel to Punjab to engage in violent crime and disorder to achieve a separate Khalistan state. The license was suspended with immediate effect on March 31 when UK foreign secretary Liz Truss landed in Delhi. “The presenter of the programme made a number of statements throughout the programme which, taken together, promoted violent action, including murder, as an acceptable and necessary form of action to further the Khalistani cause. This was a serious breach of our rules on incitement of crime and disorder,” Ofcom said in its written decision.
India 01-Apr-2022
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the incident of allegedly stopping an Amritdhari Sikh youth from entering a metro station in Delhi with his kirpan is in violation of the Constitution of the country. Seeking strict action into the matter during a press conference, he added that there are frequent incidents of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs but unfortunately the governments are not taking exemplary action against the accused.
India 01-Apr-2022
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann claimed in the Assembly that 'Chitta' is made in Punjab itself and those responsible for this will be busted soon. According to data from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 836 out of one lakh people in Punjab are drug addicts. This figure is much higher than the national average of 250 addicts per one lakh people. The death toll due to drugs or its disease in the state has been recorded at 112 per month, while 1344 youth die every year due to this.
United States 01-Apr-2022
More than a dozen lawmakers, including Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, introduced a resolution in the United States (US) House of Representatives to designate April 14 (Baisakhi) of each year as the National Sikh Day. Observing that the Sikh community, which began immigrating into the United States over 100 years ago, has played an important role in developing the US, the resolution supports the designation of ‘‘National Sikh Day’’ to honour and celebrate the important role played by the Sikh community in strengthening and inspiring the people of the US.
India 01-Apr-2022
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) over the regular bail petition filed by an accused, Dharminder Singh Dhanna, for his alleged involvement in a narco-terror case. The petitioner has been accused in a case registered by the NIA in New Delhi in 2020, under sections 13 and 17 of the UAPA Act, NDPS Act. According to NIA, Dharminder used to receive heroin, which was smuggled from Pakistan, from Jajbir Singh and would then sell it to local traffickers.
India 02-Apr-2022
Sikh scholars at the Kendri Singh Sabha urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take up the job of reproducing standardized copies of Guru Granth Sahib in its own hands and debarred all printing and publishing companies from doing so and stop commercialization of Gurbani through PTC channel.
India 03-Apr-2022
Police arrested 10 drug peddlers in separate cases in Abohar in Fazilka district. In the first case, 89 kg of poppy husk was seized from truck driver Budh Ram and helper Vikas. Brij Bhushan was arrested with 9.8 kg ganja, 1.5 kg opium was seized from Manish and Sanjay, 250 gm opium from Rakesh, 140 gm opium from Sunil and 100 gm opium was seized from Suresh and Amar. Ajay was held with 200 pills.
India 04-Apr-2022
Former Union Minister and currently MP of Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal demanded the release of all Sikh prisoners incarcerated across Indian jails beyond the completion of jail terms. Harsimrat Kaur, raising issue in Parliament, said following the 1984 “attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib by the Congress Government, several Sikhs were swayed and took the law in their own hands.” She said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had been seeking the release of the detainees after the completion of their sentences but many continued to be in prisons even after 25 years.
India 04-Apr-2022
The President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed grave concern over the racially motivated attacks on Sikhs in the United States (US) and called on the Gurdwara Committees and Sikh leaders to speak out against the practice.
India 04-Apr-2022
A local court in Chandigarh sentenced two Ferozepur residents to 10 years in jail for possessing heroin. The duo, Saraj alias Babu (30) and Arjun alias Ajju (22), hailing from Khalchia Qadeen village, Ferozepur in Punjab, were caught with 304 gm heroin in Chandigarh in 2017.
India 04-Apr-2022
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued orders for blocking 22 news channels on YouTube, three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account and one news website. The order alleged that the YouTube channels, with a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, were being used to spread fake news and disinformation on India’s national security, foreign relations and public order. Of the total 22 YouTube channels, 18 are Indian and four are from Pakistan. “This is the first time action has been taken on the Indian YouTube based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021, in February last year,” the order stated.
India 04-Apr-2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) chased and fired at a group of smugglers and recovered over 2 kg of contraband, suspected to be heroin, from them, during their search operation in Ferozepur.
India 05-Apr-2022
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann directed police chief V K Bhawra to set up a task force to wipe out gangster networks across the state. The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) will be headed by a police officer of Additional Director-General rank. According to an official release, the CM assured the police force of all requisite manpower, latest equipment and information technology, besides adequate funds "to break the unholy nexus which has already spread its wings in the drug trade and Kabaddi world". Mann said the AGTF would have integrated collection of intelligence, manning and execution of operations, registrations of FIRs, investigation and prosecution on the lines of similar specialized units in the country.
India 05-Apr-2022
The District and Sessions Court has sentenced a drug peddler to 10 years of imprisonment while his associate got one-year jail in a case of possessing 26 intoxicating pills in Moga district.
United States 06-Apr-2022
Delhi Police found in its probe that a United States (US)-based telecom service provider was used by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, to make pre-recorded threat calls to several Supreme Court (SC) lawyers on the day the apex court was to hear the case related to the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on January 5. According to reports, Police are now procuring more details under a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) with the US. A senior police officer said that “during investigation, we initially found that calls were made using a US-based telecom service firm. We then approached them and they provided details of an account holder, who had booked the account to make all these calls. All the documents belonged to Pannun, but the account holder’s name was not Pannun.” Later, after multiple communications with the service provider, the police were told that the account holder had changed his name to Pannun. It was found that the firm intimated the account holder about the probe following which he changed his name. “After establishing Pannu’s role, the police are now procuring more details under MLAT and communicating with the concerned agency for further help,” an officer said.
India 06-Apr-2022
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will send a 'jatha' (group) of Sikh pilgrims on April 12 to participate in the congregations to be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi. The group will return to India on April 21. Earlier, the 'jatha' was scheduled to visit gurdwaras in Pakistan from April 11 to April 20, but the schedule was changed.
India 06-Apr-2022
Various Sikh organisations blocked the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway in Faridkot, seeking justice in the 2015 desecration cases and subsequent police firing incidents. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Faridkot MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon and former Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also joined the protesters to express solidarity.
United States 06-Apr-2022
Puneet Sahani, a Sikh activist who coordinates the content on Sikhs for Enlightenment Values Association (SEVA), on April 6, 2022, received a death threat from Khalistanis on Twitter. The Twitter user utf8tty (Name mentioned as ‘Eintmaar’ that means ‘someone who throws bricks’) shared a recording clip in which a person who has the same Display Picture (DP) and name as Twitter handle utf8tty says, “They do not know who I am. Listen to me. I have hired two private investigators to find the whereabouts of Puneet Sahani. I will perforate him the day we find the address. These people are nothing in front of us.” Later, the Twitter user utf8tty was suspended on April 7. Sahani is on a mission to highlight the ‘real Sikh history’. He has actively criticized the Khalistan movement and its sympathizers, making him one of the prime targets of the Khalistani elements.
India 06-Apr-2022
Punjab police registered a case against Pakistan-based chief of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) Lakhbir Singh Rode for allegedly smuggling arms and ammunition in the border areas of Amritsar district by using drones in the recent days to “attempt a big terror activity” in the state. State special operation cell (SSOC) wing of the Punjab police registered the case against Rode, who is also the chief of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), on April 6, but the first information report (FIR) was available on April 10. The case has been registered under Sections 25 of the Arms Act, Sections 3, 4, 5 of the Explosive Substance (Amendment) Act, Sections 120, 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Sections 13, 18, 18-A, 18-B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in Amritsar on the complaint of SSOC’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Harvinder Pal Singh. According to the FIR, the DSP received a tip-off that Rode, who is wanted in various criminal cases in Punjab, has been active in various anti-national activities and in contact with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and other separatist organisations. “With the help of the ISI and other separatist organisations, Rode has been sending contrabands of arms and ammunition in Punjab to attempt a big terror activity. He has been working, with the help of criminals and gangsters, to destabilise the peaceful atmosphere by targeting social and religious leaders,” it said.
India 07-Apr-2022
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed the reply against the bail application of United Kingdom (UK) national Jagtar Singh alias Jaggi Johal who is one of the accused in the targeted killing cases. The court fixed April 21 as the next date of hearing. The NIA termed Johal a chronic offender and said in its reply that during the investigation of the case, it came to light that Johal had played an important role in the eight targeted killings which were carried out by banned terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) during 2016-2017 in order to destabilize law and order situation in Punjab. The NIA also said that Johal’s involvement was also found in distribution of funds to other accused and in the translation of incendiary material online fanning the fires of secessionist sentiments in Punjab.
Pakistan 07-Apr-2022
The Pakistan High Commission has issued over 2,200 visas to Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi on April 14.