Journalism of Courage
From the insignia and the currency of the proposed “Khalistan”, to videos of firearms practice by men being trained to be part of the Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s Anandpur Khalistan Fouj (AFK), the Punjab Police Friday recovered several “incriminating material” from the phone seized from an alleged gunman of the radical preacher.
“The incriminating material shows the sinister designs of this nascent militia force and the enormous threat they would have become for peace and harmony of Punjab and national security,” the Khanna police said in a statement, after going through the phone of Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba (42).
While Amritpal has continued to elude police ever since it launched a crackdown against him and Waris Punjab De, several of his associates are now in custody.
Tejinder, from Ludhiana’s village Mangewal, was arrested Thursday. Several videos and photos of Tejinder accompanying Amritpal while carrying weapons were viral on social media. The police said Tejinder was arrested after it was found that no arms licence was issued in his name and he had posted photos with weapons on social media.
Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal said in a press conference that several videos of Tejinder were recovered from his phone in which he was seen loading weapons and practising firing. He was member of the AKF – the “personal army which was being raised by Amritpal.”
Tejinder, during preliminary interrogation, revealed that all members of AKF were assigned belt numbers, for instance, AKF 3, AKF 56, AKF 47 and such, said Kondal, adding videos and photos of AKF members wearing jackets with the group’s logo and AKF WhatsApp group chats were also recovered.
An analysis of two WhatsApp groups – ‘AKF’ and ‘Amritpal Tiger Force’ – was being done, the SSP said, adding in one of the groups, instructions were given to group members to get more members inducted. The members were later paid salaries by Amritpal.
“The members were youngsters who came to the de-addiction centres run by Waris Punjab De and were later indoctrinated and given martial and weapons training, including firing practice,” said the officer.
Tejinder too was a drug addict and had joined a de-addiction centre at Amritpal’s native village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar a few months ago, the police said. Soon, he was “promoted” as Amritpal’s gunman and given weapons training, the police added.
The police said that previous records show two FIRs were registered against Tejinder, one under the Excise Act for alleged liquor smuggling in which he was convicted, and the other for assault which was cancelled based on both parties reaching a compromise.
Police said that Tejinder was a member of the Close Protection Team (CPT), entrusted with Amritpal’s security.
“He came in contact with Amritpal through Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, whom he had met met during the farmers’ agitation on the outskirts of Delhi. He went to Jallupur Khera five months ago and was inducted as a gunman to Amritpal. He was given weapons (with AKF marking) and (took part in) regular firing practice and military drill conducted at a firing range in Amritpal’s native village,” SSP Kondal said.
SSP Kondal said that recoveries from Tejinder’s phone include “design of the flag, emblem, and map of the proposed Khalistan state”. The phone also had pictures of an AKF hologram and Khalistan currency, including a “10 dollar” note. There was also a picture of a Pakistani national’s driving licence. The “Khalistan flag” had some Urdu words on it, the SSP said, adding there were also videos of firing practice at makeshift firing range at Amritpal’s village”.
Police said that one Gurbhej Singh alias Bheja arranged 10 bullet-proof jackets two months ago with the AKF logo. He also gave weapons training and martial training to newly inducted members of Waris Punjab De at the makeshift firing range at Jallupur Khera. “Videos of members showing their expertise in assembling, disassembling, cleaning weapons have been recovered,” the SSP said.
One Harsimrat Singh Hundal alias Labh Singh alias Tiger was responsible for the security of Amritpal, Tejinder revealed during questioning.
“He took take care of the weapons and assigned them on day-to-day basis to members of close protection team. All weapons and bullet-proof jackets had the AKF hologram imprinted on them. Some weapons even had a long-range telescope affixed on them,” the SSP said.
An FIR against Tejinder has been registered under sections 188 and 336 of the Indian Penal Code and 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at Maloud police station.
