Punjab police have recovered the Brezza car in which Amritpal escaped. (Express Photo)Amritpal Singh Latest Highlights: Punjab police have recovered the Brezza car in which Amritpal escaped and have arrested four accused who helped him flee, informed Punjab IG (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill in a press conference today. A 315-bore rifle, some swords and walkie-talkie were recovered from them. Upon interrogating the accused it was revealed that Amritpal went to Nangal Ambian gurdwara and changed into a trouser and a shirt there. He was then further helped by three people who took him along on a motorcycle.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Tuesday pulled up the state government for “intelligence failure” over Amritpal Singh’s “escape”. “You have 80,000 police, how has not he been arrested?” the Bench asked Punjab Advocate General Vinod Ghai, who apprised the court that all accused except the Waris Punjab De chief have been arrested. AG Vinod Ghai also informed the court that the stringent NSA has been invoked against Amritpal Singh.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday said that his government would take strict action against anyone who tried to disturb the state’s peace and harmony, days after the police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh. In his first reaction to the police action, Mann said he received several calls from people praising his government. He also said that Punjab’s peace, harmony, and the country’s progress were his top priorities. “We will not spare any force working against the country, the CM said, adding people have given a responsibility to the AAP by giving it a huge mandate in the elections,” he added.
As members of Quami Insaf Morcha protested against crackdown on Amritpal Singh, heavy police force was deployed at the protest site. (Express File Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
Waris Punjab De chief and radical preacher Amritpal Singh changed clothes and switched from a car to a motorcycle to evade arrest, Punjab Police said, adding that four people have been held for helping him escape.
Questioning revealed that Singh went to a gurdwara in Nangal Ambian village in Jalandhar, where he changed into a shirt and pant and escaped along with three others on two bikes, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill was quoted as saying by PTI.
Police have released seven photographs of the Khalistan sympathiser, including some in which he is not wearing a turban, to seek public help to nab the fugitive. (Read More)
For around 35 hours between March 18 and 19, Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh’s uncle Harjit Singh had held the family of a sarpanch in Jalandhar hostage at gunpoint and had threatened them of dire consequences if they revealed that he was hiding in their home, the sarpanch told the police Monday.
While Harjit has already been arrested, the police have registered a separate case on the statement of sarpanch Manpreet Singh of Udhowal village in Jalandhar. The sarpanch reportedly told the police that Harjit had threatened the family in the name of Amritpal. (Read More)
A top Himachal official states that all 14 districts have been checked and so far there is no trace of Amritpal in the state. The police have been alerted on the district level.
The officials held meetings with Gurudwara committee members and the religious sites such as Paonta Sahib, Manikaran are being monitored in case Amritpal visits.
Checking of vehicles on border entries is also being carried out.
Punjab police have recovered the Brezza car in which Amritpal escaped and have arrested four accused who helped him flee, informed Punjab IG (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill in a press conference today. A 315-bore rifle, some swords and walkie-talkie were recovered from them.
Upon interrogating the accused it was revealed that Amritpal went to Nangal Ambian gurdwara and changed into a trouser and a shirt there. He was then further helped by three people who took him along on a motorcycle.
A total of 8 persons including Amritpal Singh have been booked under NSA till now of which seven have been held. The two held today are Kulwant Singh Rauke of Moga and Gurinderpal Singh Guri Aujla of Kapurthala, Punjab IG Sukhchain Singh Gill informed.
AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the Punjab government was not afraid of taking stringent measures to curb criminal activities in the state.
"When we came to power in Punjab, people said they (AAP) can work in the fields of education, health and power, but handling law and order situation will be tough. "The system we inherited from previous governments showed that criminals and gangsters were provided political protection. But our government is an honest one. We are taking strict action against such elements," Kejriwal said.
The action taken over the past few days has shown that AAP government is "ready to take strictest step" when it comes to maintaining law-and-order as well as peace in the state. (PTI)
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday slammed the Punjab Government for failing to nab Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh despite a massive crackdown in which over 114 persons have been apprehended.
The high court was hearing a plea filed by Imaan Singh Khara, the legal advisor of Waris Punjab De. In his habeas corpus petition filed on Sunday, he had alleged that Amritpal was illegally detained by the Punjab Police and said that he should be produced before the court. (Read More)
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The investigation of Amritpal Singh's case has not yet been handed over to the NIA, informed Punjab IG Sukhchain Singh Gill in a press conference today. He said a non-bailable warrant and a lookout circular (LOC) has been issued against Amritpal.
Punjab police have recovered the Brezza car in which Amritpal escaped and have arrested four accused who helped him flee, informed Punjab IG (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill in a press conference today. A 315-bore rifle, some swords and walkie-talkie were recovered from them. Upon interrogating the accused it was revealed that Amritpal went to Nangal Ambian gurdwara and changed into a trouser and a shirt there. He was then further helped by three people who took him along on a motorcycle.
National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against Amritpal Singh, and a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him by a court on March 18.
Three more associates of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, including his uncle Harjit Singh, have been brought to the high security Dibrugarh jail on Tuesday, an Assam Police official said.
Altogether seven members linked to Amritpal Singh's 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD) have been brought here since March 19, including Harjit Singh who was brought in the early hours of Tuesday.
Two WPD members identified as Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal and Gurinder Pal Singh were brought here by a flight from Delhi and whisked to the Dibrugarh Central Jail amidst tight security later in the day , the official said. Harjit Singh was moved to the Dibrugarh jail by road from Guwahati.
A cavalcade of seven security vehicles took Harjit Singh from the Guwahati airport to the Dibrugarh Central Jail where he was lodged at 7.10 am, the official said. (PTI)
In his first reaction to the police crackdown on Amritpal Singh, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday said: "In the last few days, some elements had been trying to spoil the environment of Punjab with the help of foreign powers. Action has been taken against them and they have been arrested. Strict punishment will be given to them. Our government will not tolerate any anti-national activity on the soil of Punjab. I thank the people of Punjab for their cooperation. I have been receiving calls from parents thanking ne for this action."
Multiple versions of the “police giving a chase” to radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh while making an attempt to arrest him have emerged creating a confusion in the minds of the people. The Punjab Police have already booked Amritpal Singh for rash driving and disobeying the order of a public servant after some vehicles in his cavalcade allegedly hit some two-wheelers to create a diversion as police cars trailed him on March 18, the day a statewide crackdown was launched on the Khalistan sympathiser and his outfit Waris Punjab De.
On March 18, Amritpal left his native village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar at around 8 am. The police claimed to have launched a chase to arrest him after 11 am in Jalandhar. A couple of hours later, several videos surfaced in which Amrtipal’s aides were saying that his cavalcade was being pursued by the police. In a video, an aide of Amritpal can be heard saying that the police were chasing “Bhai Saab” (Amritpal). The aide urges Amritpal’s follower to reach in numbers to the Shahkot-Malsian area. In another video, his supporter are heard saying that police has been chasing the cavalcade of ‘Bhai Amritpal Singh’ from village to village. Read more
Referring to the situation in Punjab, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP president Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday said: "Over the past few days, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has taken several strict steps. He has behaved with maturity and patience. I congratulate him and the AAP government. When we formed a government there, some said -- you know how to fix (issues related to) water, power, education etc, but will you be able to tackle security since it is a border state? Our government has proved that if your intentions are right, it can be done."
"The system that we inherited from the previous governments had a lot of politicians working with gangsters. Political patronage was given to them. We do not patronise any gangsters and we started arresting them. The developments of the past few days show that the AAP government is ready to take the harshest of steps. We are patriotic people who love the country. If anyone acts against Bharat Ma, they will not be spared. If anyone tries to disturb the peace, they will not be spared. We will do whatever is needed to maintain law and order. The AAP government in Punjab and Bhagwant Mann have shown this. I also thank the people of Punjab for standing by the government and giving their support. I pray to God for peace in Punjab," he added.
The police Tuesday dispersed those who were holding a dharna in Mohali against the crackdown on Amritpal Singh. The protesters had been blocking traffic on the Airport Road at Sohana light point since Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, a police officer reportedly suffered minor injuries on his hands while uninstalling the tents the protesters had put up yesterday afternoon.
A minor skirmish was also reported between the police and the protesters. But the road has now been cleared for traffic.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court continued hearing Tuesday a habeas corpus petition filed by the legal advisor of Waris Punjab De, requesting the court to direct the respondents to produce Amritpal Singh before it.
While hearing the matter, a bench of Justice NS Shekhawat asked Advocate General Vinod Ghai: "How did he (Amritpal Singh) escape?" Responding to this, the AG said: "We have arrested other accused in the case."
The bench further asked how everyone, except Amritpal Singh, has been arrested.
"You have 80,000 police. How has he not been arrested? If he escaped, this is an intelligence failure. The entire police force is after him," noted the bench.
In response to this, the AG said: "It happens sometimes. The G-20 summit was also going on."
Meanwhile, the High Court appointed Advocate Tanu Bedi as Amicus Curiae in the case and adjourned the hearing for four days. The court also sought a status report sought from Punjab.
AG Vinod Ghai also informed the court that the stringent NSA has been invoked against Amritpal Singh.
"Amritpal Singh is absconding from the law. Raids have been conducted to apprehend and detain Amritpal Singh but he could not be detained so far and is absconding and concealing himself so the order cannot be executed to arrest and detain Amritpal Singh as per the orders of District Magistrate Amritsar issued under section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980. In this regard District Magistrate Amritsar has sent a report vide number Reader/DM/1/696 dated 20.03.2023 to the Judicial Magistrate first Class Baba Bakala, Amritsar, Punjab under section 7 (1) (a) of the said act", said Kuldeep Chahal, Commissioner, Jalandhar, in his reply.
With all eyes on Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, who is yet to be arrested by the police, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Tuesday that “Punjab was in safe hands” and “those trying to spread hate have all been arrested.”
While Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh is still on the run, the Punjab Police have arrested his uncle Harjit Singh and several aides and flown them to Assam Tuesday morning. His uncle and aides have been charged under the National Security Act (NSA), which allows the police to detain suspects in any prison across the country. The Punjab government has also extended the suspension of mobile internet services in select districts and areas in the state until Thursday afternoon. Read more
Kulwant Singh Rauke, one of the close associates of Amritpal Singh, has been arrested by Moga Police. “He too will be booked under NSA and taken to Assam,” SSP J Elanchezhian said.
Though it has been four days since they launched the hunt, Punjab police are still clueless about the whereabouts of the absconding ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh. More than 1,500 cops are engaged in the search operations.
Amid its crackdown against Waris Punjab De chief and self-proclaimed Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates, the Punjab government on Tuesday extended the suspension of mobile internet services in select districts and areas in the state till Thursday noon. Mobile internet services had been suspended for three consecutive days till Tuesday noon.
On Tuesday, the Punjab home affairs and justice department ordered that the suspension of mobile internet services be extended in the districts of Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga and Sangrur, Ajnala sub-division and areas adjoining YPS Chowk and Airport Road in Mohali district. Read more
The Police arrested Tuesday the owner of the ISUZU car, which was part of Amritpal Singh’s cavalcade. He was picked up from Nawanshehar. The police had recently taken possession of four vehicles — a Mercedes, two Ford Endeavour SUVs and an Isuzu. The owner of the Isuzu, identified as Manpreet Singh, was among those rounded up. IG (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill had said that the police were investigating the source of money used for purchasing the vehicles as their owners “did not have resources to afford” them.
Amid its crackdown on self-proclaimed Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates, the Punjab Government on Tuesday extended the suspension of mobile internet services in certain districts/areas till Thursday (March 23). Mobile phone services will remain suspended in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur, Ajnala sub-division and YPS Chowk and Airport Road in Mohali.
Following a massive crackdown by Punjab Police on Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief and self-styled pro-Khalistan radical preacher Amritpal Singh, four of his close aides were flown to a prison in Assam’s Dibrugarh on Sunday. This includes Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Basant Singh, Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke and Daljit Singh Kalsi.
Reliable sources from the police have confirmed to The Indian Express that four of them have been held under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980. A senior official with Moga police said Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, who hails from Bajeke village in Moga district, was held Saturday by a police team which raided his house.
This happened around the same time that state police teams were chasing Amritpal Singh’s convoy. Bhagwant Singh was held in a dramatic manner as he went live on Facebook after seeing police teams approaching. Moga police sources said that after his arrest, he was handed over to a team of Amritsar rural police which had procured his warrant under the NSA. Read more
Dr Swaiman Singh, an Indian-origin cardiologist based in the United States, has warned the Punjab government against fake encounters in the backdrop of the massive search operations to locate Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.
Dr Singh, who came to India to provide medical aid to farmers protesting against the now-repealed farm laws at the Delhi border for a few days in 2020 and stayed with them for over a year, tweeted Monday morning that he hoped that the era of fake encounters and illegal detention was over in Punjab and cautioned the government that a fake encounter would not be tolerated. Read more
Accusing the Punjab Police of carrying out “excesses” against the Sikh youth over the past few days, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami Monday asked the state government to stop arresting “innocents”.
“It is not in the interest of the state to arrest youths by creating fabricated stories without any charge. Punjab has seen many eras and it is very unfortunate that the present government of the state has added another chapter to the situation…it is not right to deliberately target innocent Sikh youths,” Dhami said. Read more
Amid police action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Monday hit out at the AAP government for the alleged “undeclared emergency and reign of repression and terror let loose in the state”.
The SAD chief also warned against “dangerous conspiracies to defame the most patriotic Sikh community for communal polarization and electoral gains”. “The same conspiracies were hatched and implemented by the Congress in the past and now the present regime is following in their footsteps to set Punjab on fire,” he said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said whoever tries to vitiate the atmosphere of the state or divert it from the path of development, the AAP government will surely take strict action against them.
Dhaliwal said he has been continuously receiving calls from people from Punjab and abroad who have appreciated the Bhagwant Mann government for the action against “anti-social elements”. Stating that Punjab is in the safe hands of Chief Minister Mann, Dhaliwal asserted that no anti-social element will be allowed to flourish in the state. (PTI)
The Punjab Police, following a massive crackdown on Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh and his associates, have booked five people under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), 1980.
They include Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Basant Singh, Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke (all of Moga), Daljit Singh Kalsi of Haryana, and Amritpal’s uncle Harjit Singh of Amritsar. Read more
Radical preacher Amritpal Singh's uncle Harjit Singh was brought to Assam by the Punjab Police on Tuesday morning, a senior official said. Harjit Singh, who was moved to the Dibrugarh jail by road from Guwahati, is the fifth person linked to Amritpal's 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD) to be brought to the Northeastern state, he said.
A cavalcade of seven security vehicles took Harjit Singh from the Guwahati airport to the Dibrugarh central jail where he was lodged at 7.10 am, the official said. He gave himself up before the police in the early hours of Monday.
Harjit Singh, who officials say helped his nephew gain control over the accounts of WPD, is among the five people slapped with the National Security Act (NSA), which allows the preventive detention of anyone who could threaten national security or public order.
On Sunday, four WPD members were brought to the Dibrugarh central jail after the Punjab government on Saturday began a major crackdown on the outfit, headed by Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal, who is wanted in several criminal cases. They are Daljit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and 'Pradhanmantri' Bajeka. Over 100 people have been arrested so far in the crackdown, according to Punjab Police.
Heavy security has been deployed at the Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh, fuelling speculation that more WPD members could be brought to the BJP-ruled state from Punjab, around 2,500 km away. (PTI)
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday showered praise on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab as well as the Centre for cracking down on Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh. At a celebration of the Hindu New Year, the Sangh Parivar affiliate said the Punjab government had shown “willpower and determination” in action against the self-styled preacher.
“In the past two days, the willpower and determination shown by Punjab, and the way the Centre and Punjab have together taken those challenging India’s integrity head-on, it is something to celebrate. Some people had created this hype (about Amritpal). And now this hype has come crashing down so fast that people are asking where are those who were ready to fight,” VHP working president Alok Kumar said.
The statement is significant as the BJP has long accused the AAP of “hobnobbing” with Khalistani operatives, and the Bhagwant Mann government of being soft on radical elements. Deeptiman Tiwary reports
Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, which has been the brain behind growth of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, has now instigated overseas Khalistan supporters to organise protests and demonstrations abroad including London, San Francisco and Canberra in his support, officials told news agency PTI.
They said the overseas protests were the desperate attempt by the ISI to build followership of Amritpal who has been hiding from the Punjab Police for the last three days. While pro-Khalistan supporters vandalised the Indian High Commission in London and the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, there were sporadic protests in Australia.
All theses acts by the pro-Khalistan elements were orchestrated by ISI agents operating in different countries, the officials said. Citing recent incidents in different parts of the world, the officials told PTI that there has been a design by ISI agents to organise protests, vandalism of places of Indian interests through Khalistani elements exploiting their religious sentiments.
Hours after pro-Khalistan separatists attacked and vandalised property at the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, India on Monday lodged a strong protest with the United States demanding “appropriate measures”.
Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags.
Soon thereafter, a group of angry protesters entered the consulate premises and started hitting the door and windows with the rods that they had in their hands. Read more
Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring today releases a video statement, where he urged that while those trying to disturb law and order must be dealt with strictly, it is equally important not to penalise youngsters who had joined 'Waris Punjab De' with good intentions. "They must be given a chance to reform and join the mainstream," Warring said.
Pro-Khalistan supporter and radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who is on the run following a massive crackdown on his outfit 'Waris Punjab De', has allegedly been maintaining close links with drug peddlers and Pakistan's ISI to further his goal for a separate country for the Sikhs, officials said.
While drug lords were allegedly helping the pro-Khalistan preacher financially, including gifting him a high-end Mercedes SUV, the ISI was helping him with arms, ammunition and other logistics, they said. At the time when police was chasing Singh, he was travelling in a Mercedes SUV, allegedly gifted by Ravel Singh, who is accused of peddling drugs, the officials told news agency PTI.
On Saturday, when police was trying to apprehend the radical preacher, he had abandoned the SUV to evade the police and rode a bike and fled the scene. The SUV has since been seized by the Punjab Police. Singh tried to project himself as a social reformer and was running de-addiction centres with the objective of setting up a private militia with those who come to his fold, the officials told PTI.
Hours after a group of people chanting pro-Khalistan slogans took down the Indian flag at the High Commission in London, the Indian government on Sunday summoned the “senior-most” UK diplomat, Deputy High Commissioner Christina Scott, and lodged a strong protest, The Indian Express reported.
On the London incident, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said, “An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of the British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises. She (Dy High Commissioner Scott) was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK Government under the Vienna Convention.”
What is the Vienna Convention?
The term “Vienna Convention” can refer to any of a number of treaties signed in Vienna, most of which are related to the harmonisation or formalisation of the procedures of international diplomacy. The treaty being referred to by the MEA in this instance is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), which “provides a complete framework for the establishment, maintenance and termination of diplomatic relations on a basis of consent between independent sovereign States”, as per an introductory note on the treaty in UN’s Audiovisual Library of International Law. Know more
Amritsar's Baba Bakala court today sent four associates of Amritpal Singh to police custody till March 23, news agency ANI reported.
Bhupinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Sukhmanjeet Singh and Harpreet Singh were sent to police custody.
Lawyer of the accused, Advocate Harpreet Shekhon said, "An FIR no 26 was registered at Khilchian Police Station under sections 279, 506, 636 and 186 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Court has given custody till March 23. Some weapons recoveries are to be made from them."
The Punjab police have sealed Punjab's border with Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Police sources say Amritpal is suspected to be hiding in Jalandhar or Amritsar.
Accusing the Punjab Police of carrying out “excesses” against the Sikh youth over the past few days, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami Monday asked the state government to stop arresting “innocents”.
“It is not in the interest of the state to arrest youths by creating fabricated stories without any charge. Punjab has seen many eras and it is very unfortunate that the present government of the state has added another chapter to the situation…it is not right to deliberately target innocent Sikh youths,” Dhami said.
The SGPC president’s remarks come at a time when the state police is in the middle of a massive crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates and has arrested 112 people, including members of ‘Waris Punjab de’, an outfit headed by him. Read more
Security was beefed up around the Indian High Commission in London today and Scotland Yard detained one person in connection with vandalism at the mission by Khalistan supporters a day earlier, news agency PTI reported.
The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at by the protesters waving separatist Khalistan flags and chanting pro-Khalistan slogans on Sunday. After the incident, police arrested one person related to the violent disorder.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Badal Monday claimed that the AAP dispensation in Punjab has been a "failure" and demanded the dissolution of the government and holding of fresh elections to save Punjab.
Badal held both Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal responsible for the law and order situation in the border state. "This is a totally failed government. The AAP government should resign on its own... They should dissolve the Punjab government of their own and hold fresh elections to help save Punjab," news agency PTI quoted Badal as saying.
Pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh's 'Waris Punjab De' outfit procured some weapons from Jammu and Kashmir, and all help will be extended to the Punjab Police in the case, the Union territory's police chief Dilbag Singh said today.
The Jammu and Kashmir director general of police was speaking to reporters after the closing ceremony of the 71st B N Mullik Memorial All India Police Football Championship at the Bakshi stadium in Srinagar.
"Wherever Punjab Police needs us, the Jammu and Kashmir Police will extend all help to them. Some cases have come to the fore where some weapons were issued from here to the people there. We have taken cognisance of such cases. A couple of cases have been registered and we will help the Punjab Police wherever they need," news agency PTI quoted Singh as saying.
The high-decibel protests abroad against the Punjab government crackdown on Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, and their relative absence in the state, once again underline the foreign support that sustains the separatist agenda in Punjab.
The most active protest in Punjab, the blockade of a road in Mohali, paled in front of the singular act of vandalism by pro-Khalistan supporters at the Indian High Commission in London as well as the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, and the strident protests in Canada, apart from the outrage on social media.
While some argued that the suspension of Internet and tight security accounted for the muted reaction, a police officer points out that if this was the reason, crowds should not have gathered for singer Sidhu Moosewala’s death anniversary a day after Operation Amritpal. Read the Political Pulse
Khalistan supporters gathered outside Australian parliament in Canberra today to protest against the police crackdown on radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates in Punjab.
A group of pro-Khalistani protesters on Sunday attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, prompting sharp condemnation from Indian-Americans who demanded immediate action against those responsible for it.
"We are also appalled by the complete law and order failure in both in London as well as in SFO where a few radicalised separatists attacked India's diplomatic missions," Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said after pro-Khalistani protesters attacked the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags. Soon thereafter, a group of angry protesters entered the consulate premises and started hitting the door and windows with the rods that they had in their hand. Know more
In view of the crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said the state was on high alert and security has been beefed up along the border with Punjab.
Strict vigil is being maintained along the border with Punjab, he told media persons here.
Directions have been issued to ensure tourists coming from outside the state do not face any inconvenience and no unwanted element is allowed entry, the chief minister added. "There is nothing to worry and we are ready to deal with any circumstance," news agency PTI quoted him as sying.
Supporters of Amritpal Singh, Waris Punjab De chief, today blocked the Airport road in Mohali as part of their protest.
Several people belonging to the Sikh community gathered outside the British High Commission in Chanakyapuri here on Monday to protest pro-Khalistan separatists pulling down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission in London a day earlier.
Carrying the tricolour and placards, protesters raised the slogan "Bharat humara swabhiman hai (India is our pride)" and said that they will not tolerate any insult to the national flag, news agency PTI reported.
The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on Sunday, leading to an arrest related to the violent disorder.
Dr Swaiman Singh, an Indian-origin cardiologist based in the United States, has warned the Punjab government against fake encounters in the backdrop of the massive search operations to locate Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.
Dr Singh, who came to India to provide medical aid to farmers protesting against the now-repealed farm laws at the Delhi border for a few days in 2020 and stayed with them for over a year, tweeted Monday morning that he hoped that the era of fake encounters and illegal detention was over in Punjab and cautioned the government that a fake encounter would not be tolerated. Kanchan Vasdev reports
There was a surreal quality about last week. In Delhi, a Congress Party spokesman who misspoke the Prime Minister’s name was dragged off a plane and charged with waging a war against the Indian state. Meanwhile, in Punjab, a Sikh preacher called Amritpal Singh was waging a real war against the state by leading an angry mob in an attack on Ajnala police station to demand the release of a comrade. As far as I know, he has not been charged with this yet.
In the early eighties I covered the rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his ascent from rural preacher to political heights began as insidiously and with the same ideas. When Amritpal Singh was asked about his open support for Khalistan, this is what he told the TV reporter in fluent English, “I am trying to revive Sikhi and for that we have to revive the Khalsa Panth and that to me is Khalistan.” He added that it was an idea that should be discussed in the same way that Hindutva is being discussed. Read the full opinion piece
Following a massive crackdown by Punjab Police on Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief and self-styled pro-Khalistan radical preacher Amritpal Singh, four of his close aides were flown to a prison in Assam’s Dibrugarh on Sunday. This includes Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Basant Singh, Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke and Daljit Singh Kalsi.
Reliable sources from the police have confirmed to The Indian Express that four of them have been held under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980.
A senior official with Moga police said Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke, who hails from Bajeke village in Moga district, was held Saturday by a police team which raided his house. This happened around the same time that state police teams were chasing Amritpal Singh’s convoy. Divya Goyal reports
Amid the ongoing crackdown against Amritpal Singh, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh today said that once the 'Waris Punjab De' chief is arrested, the Director General of Police will inform about it, reported.
On being asked if Amritpal has been arrested, news agency ANI quoted the AAP minister as saying, "This is a matter related to security and if he is arrested, then the DGP will inform you".
The Punjab Minister appealed to the public to maintain peace and brotherhood. "There are some evil forces, and conspiracies are being hatched from inside and outside the country. But the police are doing good work and the atmosphere in the state won't deteriorate. I appeal to the people of Punjab to maintain peace and brotherhood," he said.
Amid the ongoing crackdown against Amritpal Singh, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh, said that once the 'Waris Punjab De' chief is arrested, the Director General of Police will inform about it, news agency ANI reported.
On being asked if Amritpal has been arrested, the AAP minister said, "This is a matter related to security and if he is arrested, then the DGP will inform you".
A fortnight before the crackdown on Amritpal Singh on Saturday, concerns were raised about the Waris De Punjab leader’s statewide Khalsa Vaheer campaign, which was scheduled to be launched on Sunday, and his alleged private army, Anandpur Khalsa Force (AKF), at a meeting called by the Ministry of Home Affairs with intelligence agencies and Punjab Police officers.
Sources said Amritpal’s inflammatory speeches – in which he accused the government of disarming Sikh youth and inciting fear that this was being done to target the community eventually – at gatherings to garner support for the Khalsa Vaheer campaign and a strengthening AKF had become a cause for alarm for the Centre, which had been closely watching his rise. Deeptiman Tiwary , Mahender Singh Manral report
Punjab Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill today said the National Security Act has been imposed on the four detenues sent to Dibrugarh.
Amritpal Singh's uncle Harjit Singh has also been imposed with NSA, Gill added.
Punjab Police today said they suspected that the ISI and other foreign organisations were involved in the funding of Waris Punjab De's activities in Punjab and the country.
Punjab Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill said there is a "strong suspicion of an ISI angle and foreign funding".
"ISI involved in this and they were being funded from abroad," Gill pointed out.
The Punjab police today warned of taking strict action against those disturbing peace and communal harmony in the state, adding that Amritpal Singh is still on the run and efforts are on to nab him.
Cautioning against fake news, Punjab Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill said, "Rumours are being spread, but Amritpal Singh has not been arrested so far."
Gill said that 114 persons have been arrested in the related case, adding, "Four detenues have already been sent to Dibrugarh. Amritpal's uncle Harjit Singh is being taken to Dibrugarh."
The Aam Aadmi Party today said the police crackdown on radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh in Punjab proves that its government has the capability to manage the law-and-order situation in the state, news agency PTI reported.
The hunt for Singh is a government operation and not a political one, AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said. "When AAP came to power in Punjab, we were told that we will not be able to manage a border state. By launching an operation against Amritpal Singh, our party has proved that we can manage the law-and-order situation very well," he said.
On the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Punjab, Bhardwaj said it was done to prevent circulation of fake news about the matter. Authorities in Punjab had on Saturday suspended the internet and SMS services in the state. The curbs will be in place till Tuesday noon.
Assam Inspector General of Police (Law and order) Prashanta Kumar Bhuyan arrived here on Monday to hold a high-level meeting on security issues after four arrested members of an outfit headed by radical preacher Amritpal Singh were lodged in a Dibrugarh jail, officials said.
The four accused who were arrested in Punjab were brought to the northeastern state by Punjab Police on March 19 and lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail.
Security has been intensified in and around the jail leading to speculations that a very "important member” of the outfit is among the arrested.
Though senior police and district officials refused to comment on the identity of the arrested persons, a senior officer of the Punjab Police team identified them on Sunday as Daljit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Pradhanmantri Bajeka.
Bhuyan, who is also the police spokesperson, was expected to brief the media after the meeting.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday that sometimes people arrested in another state are sent to a jail in another state.
Four persons have been sent by Punjab Police and "we will provide all security to them", Sarma said. (PTI)
Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh's associate Bhagwant Singh Bajeke aka Pradhanmantri Bajeke, who was taken to Dibrugarh in Assam, has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA), according to police sources.
He has 7 previous FIRs registered against him including attempt to murder and drug peddling.
Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi reacted to the Amritpal Singh case and said, "We are an honest government and don't compromise on any kind of law and order situation. I congratulate Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for his actions. Strongest action will be taken in the entire matter."