This report documents ten significant cases of targeted killings of Hindus by Punjab-based separatist elements between 2016 and 2025. One such incident occurred on 14 March 2025, when Shiv Sena district president Mangat Rai Manga was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne assailants in Moga district. Initial investigations revealed that the attackers were acting on the instructions of Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative Harvinder Rinda.
#1 Shiv Sena Leader Mangat Rai Murdered by BKI-Linked Assailants
On 14 March 2025, Shiv Sena district president Mangat Rai Manga was gunned down by three motorcycle-borne assailants in Moga district, Punjab. The attackers also injured two bystanders, including an 11-year-old boy. The Punjab Police launched an investigation and arrested three individuals affiliated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a Pakistan-based terror outfit. Among the arrested were Arun alias Deepu and Rajveer. Officials confirmed the attackers acted under instructions from BKI mastermind Harvinder Rinda. While personal enmity was suggested as the motive, the case was deeply rooted in a broader terror conspiracy involving cross-border separatist elements.
#2 Arsh Dalla Gang Shooters Arrested in Gwalior Murder
On 7 November 2024, Jaswant Singh was shot dead outside his residence in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Investigations pointed to the involvement of the gang led by Arshdeep Dalla, a Punjab separatist figure operating from Canada. Two of Dalla’s shooters, Navjot Singh and Anmolpreet Singh, were arrested and found in possession of foreign-manufactured pistols from Australia and China. Their mobile phones had international IMEI numbers, indicating overseas coordination. Following the murder, Canadian authorities detained Dalla. The case revealed an expanding cross-border terror network targeting Hindus and Indian nationalists, with direct operational links between foreign handlers and local shooters.
#3 VHP Leader Vikas Prabhakar Assassinated in BKI Plot
On 13 April 2024, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar, also known as Vikas Bagga, was shot dead at his sweet shop in Nangal, Rupnagar district, Punjab. The murder was carried out by terrorists linked to Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). An NIA investigation uncovered a larger conspiracy coordinated from Pakistan, Germany, and Dubai. Wadhawa Singh, a BKI leader, instructed Germany-based operatives Harjeet Singh and Kulbir Singh to supply weapons and funding for the attack. Three men—Mandeep Kumar, Surinder Kumar, and Gurpreet Ram—were arrested, while the main conspirators remain absconding. The killing marked another instance of transnational extremist violence.
#4 Congress Leader Baljinder Singh Killed, Arsh Dala Claims Responsibility
On 19 September 2023, Congress leader Baljinder Singh Balli was shot dead at his home by two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle. Shortly after the murder, known Punjab separatist and gangster Arsh Dala claimed responsibility for the attack. In a video statement, Dala alleged that Balli had “ruined his future” and forced him into a life of crime. The murder sent shockwaves across the political landscape in Punjab and highlighted the growing influence of separatist elements with transnational links who are now targeting mainstream political figures to settle personal and ideological scores.
#5 Hindu Leader Sudhir Suri Shot Dead Outside Amritsar Temple
On 4 November 2022, Hindu leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead in a crowded area outside Gopal Mandir in Amritsar, Punjab. The attacker, Sandeep Singh Sunny, was apprehended by police on the spot. Investigators found a Khalistan sticker on the car used in the crime, suggesting a separatist connection. Suri had been under threat for some time, with intelligence inputs indicating that Khalistan sympathizers abroad had conspired to assassinate him. His killing was seen as part of a pattern of targeted violence against Hindu leaders in Punjab, orchestrated or encouraged by extremist groups with foreign support.
#6 RSS Leader Ravinder Gosai Assassinated by Khalistani Militants
On 20 October 2017, RSS leader Ravinder Gosai was shot dead near his home in Ludhiana, Punjab. The assassination came just weeks after the Punjab Police had arrested seven members of the Khalistan-linked group Babbar Khalsa International on September 26. The arrested militants, found in possession of firearms and ammunition, confessed during interrogation that they were targeting Hindu leaders who opposed Khalistani ideology. Gosai’s murder marked another violent act in the resurgence of separatist extremism in Punjab, where targeted killings have become a tool for spreading fear and destabilizing communal harmony.
#7 RSS Brigadier Jagdish Gagneja Murdered; Dashmesh Regiment Claims Attack
On 6 August 2017, retired Brigadier Jagdish Gagneja, deputy chief of the Punjab unit of the RSS, was shot in broad daylight by unidentified gunmen. He succumbed to his injuries later. The Dashmesh Regiment, a shadowy pro-Khalistan extremist outfit, claimed responsibility through an email sent to major media outlets, including PTI. Gagneja had been an outspoken critic of separatist ideologies, and his murder underscored the growing boldness of Khalistani terror groups operating both within India and through international support networks. The killing raised concerns about a resurgence of insurgent activity in Punjab reminiscent of the 1980s.
#8 KLF Behind Double Murder of Shiv Sena Leaders in Ludhiana
On 25 February 2017, Satpal Sharma and his son Ramesh Sharma, both Shiv Sena leaders and followers of Dera Sacha Sauda, were shot dead by Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorists in the Jageda area of Ludhiana, Punjab. The attack occurred at a ‘Naam Charcha Ghar’ during a religious gathering. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the murder was part of a larger international conspiracy orchestrated by KLF’s top leadership to incite communal tensions and eliminate ideological opponents. The incident further highlighted the cross-border influence and violent tactics of pro-Khalistan extremist groups operating in Punjab.
#9 Amit Sharma Assassinated by KLF-Sponsored Killers in Meerut Link
On 14 January 2017, Amit Sharma, head of Shri Hindu Takht, was gunned down by two unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle in Punjab. Investigations by the NIA revealed that the Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF) had masterminded the murder as part of a broader plot to destabilize communal harmony in the region. The NIA chargesheet named Ashish Kumar, Javed, and Arshad Ali, all from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, as key accused in executing the targeted killing. The cold-blooded murder was one of several carried out by KLF operatives targeting prominent Hindu figures in an attempt to revive separatist militancy.
#10 Shiv Sena’s Durga Gupta Murdered by Pro-Khalistan Sharpshooter
On 23 April 2016, Durga Gupta, leader of the Shiv Sena’s labour cell in Punjab, was shot dead in Khanna, Ludhiana district. Police investigations led to the arrest of sharpshooter Hardeep Singh Shera, who was found to be connected with Khalistani extremist networks. Gupta’s assassination marked the beginning of a disturbing trend of targeted killings of Hindu leaders by pro-Khalistan elements in Punjab. Shera’s name later appeared in multiple similar cases, establishing a pattern of hired killings orchestrated to reignite separatist sentiments in the state. The murder triggered widespread concern over the resurgence of Khalistani terror infrastructure.
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