Punjab and Rajasthan, which share borders with Pakistan, have gone into full alert mode following India's retaliatory missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Punjab Police has cancelled leaves of all its personnel and shut schools in six border districts, while Rajasthan has also cancelled leaves of administrative officials and police personnel deployed in the border areas and closed schools in four border districts.
Jasbir Singh, a resident of Village Mahlan in Rupnagar district, who operates a YouTube channel 'Jaan Mahal', was found to be associated with a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO), Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.
Punjab Police have arrested three individuals and foiled a major target killing planned by a terror module linked to the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The module was allegedly being handled by US-based gangster Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawashehria, who is a close aide of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda.
Amritpal Singh, the chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, has thrown his hat into the ring as an Independent.
Several Indian states bordering Pakistan have implemented stringent security measures, including school closures, blackouts, and cancellation of leave for police and administrative personnel, in response to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. These measures were taken after India conducted airstrikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and West Bengal have all implemented these precautionary measures.
Brandishing sticks and swords, a mob vandalised the car of the president of a gurdwara management committee over the 'removal' of a poster of slain Sikh separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, police said on Monday.
Blackout measures have been imposed in many districts including Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Pathankot, Patiala, Moga, Kapurthala, and Muktsar districts.
Police said they have made five arrests in the incident. Those arrested have been identified as Prabhjit Singh, the main accused, Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh and Ninder Kaur, they said.
The request is under "active consideration" of the Union home ministry, he said.
A suspected Pakistani intruder trying to infiltrate into India from the Punjab border was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) amid an ongoing 'high alert' ahead of Independence Day.
Punjab Police launched a statewide operation against drugs, conducting raids at more than 750 locations as the cabinet sub-committee on the drug menace held its first meeting on Saturday. Around 12,000 police personnel were involved in the operation being carried out as part of an anti-drug campaign. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday set a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free. The operation led to the arrest of 290 drug smugglers after registration of 232 FIRs. Police recovered 8.14 kg heroin, 1.21 kg opium, 3.5 kg ganja, 19 kg poppy husk, 700 grams charas, 16,238 intoxicant tablets, injections and Rs 8.02 lakh cash.
The Punjab government Thursday extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts till Friday noon while lifting the curbs in Moga, Sangrur, Ajnala sub-division in Amritsar and a few areas in Mohali.
The attack was carried out at the directions of an intelligence agency of the neighbouring country, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said pointing to Pakistan.
Families of illegal immigrants from Punjab who were deported from the US are facing a crushing debt they took to facilitate their travel to America. They allege that travel agents used unfair means to facilitate the youths' travel without their knowledge and are seeking strict action against them. The families are burdened by the debt they took on hoping for a better future and are appealing to the government for help.
Efforts are being made to nab the two criminals who shot at Sukhchain Singh, who recently returned from the US, and are on the run, they said.
'Go around and ask what Amritpal has done for the village and nearby areas.'
'Prime Minister Modi should sit with Trump and find a solution to this issue.'
Landa currently resides in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta in Canada, and is a member of Babbar Khalsa International.
The projectile, fired by some unidentified people, hit the Saanjh Kendra adjoining the Sarhali police station on the Amritsar-Bathinda highway on Friday night.
The incident occurred in Takkarpura village of Patti town on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, they said.
Mann also asked the vigilance bureau to investigate the wealth amassed by the police officer through alleged "drug money".
A bullet each hit Singh in the head and near the chest. Singh was rushed to a private hospital, police said. He is currently out of danger.
The curbs to be remained in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur and Amritsar's Ajnala sub-division and a few areas in Mohali till Thursday noon.
The Punjab Police has arrested five people in connection with the RPG attack at its Mohali office and pointed at the nexus of militant outfit Babbar Khalsa International and Pakistan's spy agency ISI.
Deputy Inspector General (Ferozepur Range) Hardial Singh Mann, in an official release, said the murder was the handiwork of some gangsters. Mann said they have arrested 11 persons for their alleged role in the crime. The accused are still being questioned to ascertain their motive behind killing Balwinder, he said.
The raids were conducted simultaneously from 6 am to 11am across several districts of the state on the directions of director general of police Punjab Gaurav Yadav.
A National Investigation Agency team, which reached the spot on Saturday evening, was also carrying out its investigation by visiting the spot, they said.
In Punjab, farmers sat on railway tracks at many locations in 22 districts, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Firozpur, Fazilka, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga and Bathinda. Because of the disruption of train services, passengers experienced inconvenience.
Earlier, the family had refused to cremate the body unless the accused were arrested, but then agreed to conduct the last rites after an assurance was given by the Tarn Taran district administration about prompt action in the case.
As soon as he head about Dalbir Kaur's death, Randeep Hooda, who played Sarabjit Singh in a 2016 biopic, immediately left Mumbai for Bhikhiwind, her native town in Tarn Taran district, to perform the last rituals, as he had promised her.
The Punjab police on Friday claimed to have busted an ISI-backed terror module jointly handled by Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda with the arrest of two of its operatives.
Sandhu had fought against terrorism in the state for years, facing at least 16 terror attacks during height of Khalistani militancy in Punjab but had been able to repudiate them all while fighting militants along with his brother and their wives.
In the first such incident reported in Punjab, drones were used to drop weapons and communication devices, among others, from across the border, an official said, adding that a half-burnt drone used in the operation was recovered from Tarn Taran.
So far, the maximum 83 deaths have taken place in Tarn Taran district, followed by 14 in Batala and 13 in Amritsar. The tragedy has been unfolding since Wednesday evening in the three districts.
In the first case, the arrested accused has been identified as Yograj Singh alias Yog, a resident of Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district.
The juvenile was also wanted in the murder of builder Sanjay Biyani on April 5 in Maharashtra's Nanded and the killing of gangster Rana Kandowalia outside a private hospital in Amritsar on August 4 last year,
Sarabjit Singh (49) had died following an attack on him by the inmates of a Lahore prison in April 2013.
They committed criminal trespass, injured officials, disrespected the Indian flag and damaged public property.
Farmers mounted their protest demanding a financial package for losses caused by the recent floods, a legal guarantee to minimum support price, and a sweeping debt waiver.
The National Investigation Agency has posted a list of gangsters and terrorists based in Canada.