Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh allegedly boarded a Haryana roadways bus from Ambala and got down at Kurukshetra’s Pipli, a roadways bus driver at Kashmere Gate told the Delhi and Punjab Police who are on the lookout for Singh. (Express photo by Rana Simranjit Singh/File)Amritpal Singh News Highlights: As pro-Khalistan radical preacher Amritpal Singh remained elusive, a new CCTV footage emerged on Saturday purportedly showing him wearing a jacket and trousers and speaking on a mobile phone, news agency PTI reported. There was no official word from police on the undated footage, which is circulating on social media and is said to be from Patiala. In the footage, the ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit chief could be seen holding a bag with his face covered with a white cloth. His key associate Papalpreet Singh could also be seen in the footage.
Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh allegedly boarded a Haryana roadways bus from Ambala and got down at Kurukshetra’s Pipli, a roadways bus driver at Kashmere Gate told the Delhi and Punjab Police who are on the lookout for Singh. Sources in the Delhi Police said that several units of the Special Cell have been assisting Punjab Police in ascertaining Amritpal’s whereabouts in the capital. A senior officer said both the driver and the conductor are being examined.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab will not hesitate in taking tough decisions to maintain law and order as he asserted that those who were trying to spoil the atmosphere in the state are on the run. AAP supremo Kejriwal’s remarks come in the wake of Punjab police action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh.
Screengrab of a video showing Amritpal Singh on a bike in a village in Jalandhar and the Brezza car in which he escaped.
Tight security arrangements at Dibrugarh Central Jail where close aides of 'Waris Punjab De' founder Amritpal Singh are lodged, March 21, 2023. (PTI)
Amritpal Singh, a radical Sikh leader, leaves the holy Sikh shrine of the Golden Temple along with his supporters, in Amritsar, India, March 3, 2023. (REUTERS Photo)
Amritpal Singh
Mohali Police remove road blockade by Amritpal Singh's supporters, clear airport road. (Express Photo)
While Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh continues to remain at large, the investigating agencies have launched a probe into the financial transactions made by a welfare society registered in 2021 with a name that sounds like Waris Punjab De, the outfit headed by the fugitive preacher, but carries a different spelling.
Warris Panj-Aab De Social and Welfare Society (WPADSWS) was registered on December 15, 2021. Its address in official records is Guru Nanak Furniture Store, Duneke village, Moga. The store is owned by Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, one of the close aides of Amritpal, who was arrested by Punjab Police during the ongoing crackdown on the preacher and his outfit. A native of Bukkanwala village of Moga, Gurmeet Singh has been booked under National Security Act and is currently lodged at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam.
Another society with a similar sounding name but different spelling — Waris Punjab De Social Welfare Society — was registered on July 4, 2022 at Fatehgarh Sahib with deceased actor-activist Deep Sidhu’s brother Mandeep Sidhu as it’s vice president. Read More
Canada is “very closely” following the developments in Punjab and will continue to address the concerns of the community, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has said amid Punjab Police’s crackdown on radical preacher Amritpal Singh.
Joly was answering a question from Indo-Canadian MP Iqwinder S Gaheer in the House of Commons on Thursday.
“We are aware of the evolving situation in Punjab, and we are following it very closely. We look forward to a return to a more stable situation,” she said. “Canadians can always count on the Government of Canada to make sure that we will continue to address the concerns of many members of the community,” she added. Read More
Police on Saturday detained a couple from R S Pura on the outskirts of Jammu for allegedly having links with Papalpreet Singh, the mastermind behind on-the-run radical preacher Amritpal Singh, an officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
The couple -- Amrik Singh and his wife Sarabjeet Kour, residents of R S Pura -- were handed over to the Punjab Police after being detained, the police officer said.
While sleuths of the Punjab Police are after fugitive and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, a hunt is also on to arrest self-proclaimed journalist and Amritpal’s aide Papalpreet Singh, a resident of Majitha in Amritsar. Papalpreet, 38, and Amritpal were last seen on March 19 at Papalpreet’s friend Baljit Kaur’s residence in Shahbad, Kurukshetra. The duo left her house on March 20. Kaur was arrested on charges of harbouring and abetting the duo’s escape.
The Punjab Police Friday recovered several incriminating material from the phone seized from an alleged gunman of the radical preacher Amritpal Singh.
It entailed pictures of the flag, 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’s Anandpur Khalistan Fauj (AFK).
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. Read the full story by Divya Goyal here.
The Mansa police of Punjab on Thursday and Friday released five students out of a total of 42 arrests which were made during a protest against the crackdown on fugitive and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.
According to the police, the five students who were released had to appear for their exams.
Four students released on Thursday, had to appear for their English paper of the Class 12 board exam, whereas the fifth, who was released on Friday evening, will appear for his IELTS exam on Saturday. Read more here.
While sleuths of the Punjab Police are after fugitive and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, a hunt is also on to arrest self-proclaimed journalist and Amritpal’s aide Papalpreet Singh, a resident of Majitha in Amritsar.
Papalpreet, 38, and Amritpal were last seen on March 19 at Papalpreet’s friend Baljit Kaur’s residence in Shahbad, Kurukshetra.
The investigating agencies have also found out that Papalpreet had left a bag with Baljit Kaur and had told her that “someone will come and collect it in a day or so”. Read about Papalpreet Singh here.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), heavy rains/storm is likely to hit parts of Punjab in the next three hours.
Amritsar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Moga, Patiala, Rupnagar, S.A.S Nagar, Sangrur, S.B.S Nagar and Tarn Taran are likely to witness heavy rainfall and/or stormy weather in the next three hours.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday filed a chargesheet against notorious gangster criminals, Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, along with 12 others having links with the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and several other pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits, in the second of the three terror-gangster nexus cases it is investigating.
Lawrence Bishnoi, in custody since 2015, has been operating his terror-crime Syndicate from Jails in different States, along with Canada-based Goldy Brar, who is an accused in the killing of Pradeep Kumar, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, in Faridkot in November 2022.
All the 14 accused have been charged with criminal conspiracy to unleash a wave of terror and carry out targeted killings of well-known social and religious leaders, movie stars, singers and businessmen. Besides having links with conspirators in Pakistan, the accused were also in contact with pro-Khalistani elements based in Canada, Nepal and other countries, NIA investigations have further revealed.
The 14 accused were identified as Lawrence Bishnoi, Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuriya, Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar, Sachin Thapan alias Sachin Bishnoi, Anmol Bishnoi alias Bhanu, Vikramjeet Singh alias Vikram Brar, Sandeep Jhanjariya alias Kala Jatheri, Virender Pratap Singh alias Kala Rana, Joginder Singh, Rajesh Kumar alias Raju Mota, Raj Kumar alias Raju, Anil alias Chippi, Naresh Yadav alias Seth and Shahbaaz Ansari alias Shahbaaz. Today’s action takes the total number of accused charge-sheeted by the NIA so far in these cases to 26. Read more here.
Recoveries from Tejinder’s phone:
-State emblem and logo of proposed Khalistan state.
-Emblem of several provinces in of proposed Khalistan State.
-Currency bills (10 dollar Khalistani dollar) of proposed Khalistan state.
-Hologram Logo of AKF.
-Members of AKF with weapons.
-Videos of handling and loading of firearms and firing practice to youngsters at makeshift firing range near Jallupur Kheda Canal. These youngsters were later recruited in AKF.
-Driving license photo of a Pakistani National.
“The proposed map and emblem of Khalistan recovered from Tejinder’s phone," Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal says, referring to the Tejinder Singh Gill aka Gorakh, Amritpal Singh's gunman who was arrested yesterday.
"Khalistan provinces marked in the map with some captions in Urdu," Kondal said.
"Tejinder came in contact with Amritpal Singh through Birkamjit Singh Khalsa, whom he had met at Kisan Andolan, Delhi. He went to Jallupur Khera 5 months back and was inducted as gunman to Amritpal. He was given weapons (marked as AKF) and regular firing practice at and military drill was conducted at a firing range in Jallupur Kheda Canal (Amritpal's native village)", the SSP said.
Khanna Police has released videos recovered from the phone of Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorakh, gunman of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, who was arrested yesterday.
One video shows the WhatsApp group of Anandpur Khalsa Fauj (AKF) and the instructions being given to the members in it. Another video shows members of the AKF wearing jackets with its logo.A third video shows Gorakh cleaning some weapons and in the final one, he is firing with a weapon with AKF written on it and another person is guiding him.
According to Ludhiana police, Waris Punjab De chief and self-styled preacher Amritpal Singh took two autorickshaws in Ludhiana. It is suspected that he further took a bus to enter Haryana.
“After reaching Hardy’s World around 9.40 pm on March 18, he took an auto till Jalandhar bypass. Then he took another auto for Sherpur Chowk from where he probably boarded the bus for Haryana at 10:20 pm,” said Ludhiana CP Mandeep Singh Sidhu. “He was in disguise,” he added.
The Amritsar rural police on Thursday secured a two-day remand of 10 supporters of Waris Punjab De leader and self-styled preacher Amritpal Singh in the Ajnala violence case.
Earlier, these accused were on a four-day police remand in the weapons recovery case. While Amritpal’s brother Harpreet Singh alias Happy was also arrested in the arms recovery case, he was sent to judicial custody on Thursday.
With the advantage of hindsight, it is easy to say that Amritpal Singh should have been arrested at the earliest possible stage after his return to India in August 2022. His transgressions commenced almost immediately thereafter, even as his support base appeared to grow. Worse, both in political and administrative statements and in media projections, a larger-than-life image was being built up, far out of proportion with his actual significance. And while the state and its agencies must certainly be called to account for their failures, much of the irresponsible myth-making was the doing of the uncritical and sensation-seeking media. “Bhindranwale 2.0”, the purported return to the 1980s, the incessant coverage of his obviously attention-seeking antics, and a series of fawning interviews — these and other exaggerations and distortions in reportage enormously inflated Amritpal Singh’s actions, providing him with the very platform he would otherwise have struggled to occupy.
Ajai Sahni writes
Punjab Advocate General Vinod Ghai has said the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked in the case of self-styled Sikh preacher and on-the-run Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh. Ghai informed Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday, during a hearing regarding a habeas corpus petition filed by the legal advisor of Waris Punjab De for requesting the court to direct the respondents to produce Amritpal Singh before it.
Four aides of Singh – Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Basant Singh, Bhagwant Singh alias Pardhan Mantri Bajeke and Daljit Singh Kalsi – who were flown to a prison in Dibrugarh, Assam, have also been held under the Act.
We explain what the NSA states and the protections available under it. Read here
A 30-year-old woman, Baljit Kaur, was arrested in Kurukshetra on Thursday by Punjab police in a joint operation with Haryana police on charges of harbouring fugitive and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.
The investigating agencies, corroborated through footage from several CCTVs, learned that Amritpal and his close aide Pappalpreet Singh reached Kaur’s residence on the night of March 19 and stayed at her under-construction house.
The investigating agencies said that 'Kaur has a radical bent of mind” and she knew Pappalpreet for over two years. Read more
Amritpal Singh, who continues to remain yet at large, has escaped out of Punjab and was supposedly last seen in Haryana’s Kurukshetra, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said today.
In the immediate aftermath of the 1971 victory over Pakistan, which led to the creation of an independent Bangladesh, the iconic photograph of Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora obtaining the instrument of surrender from the Governor of (then) East Pakistan and Commander of the Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen AAK Niazi stands out. General Aurora, born in a Punjabi Sikh family in Jhelum district, now in Pakistan, became a hero for India and Bangladesh. But he also became a bête noire for the Pakistan military establishment.
General Aurora was not alone. Standing right behind him was Lt Gen JFR Jacob, then a Major General and later the Governor of Punjab. For the defeated Pakistani establishment, these two minorities became the object of considerable angst and scorn. General Jacob’s Jewish lineage and Aurora’s Punjabi Sikh upbringing became an issue they sought to avenge. Manpreet Singh Badal writes
The incidents of denigration of the Indian flag and vandalising of Indian diplomatic missions instigated by Khalistani activists and sympathisers in foreign capitals says more about the Sikh diaspora, or a small section of it, than it does about Punjab. Today, there is little or no support for the idea of Khalistan in Punjab. True, the state has its problems — the plateau and dead-ends of an unsustainable rice-wheat agricultural economy amid shrinking landholdings; declining prospects for employment generation; a widespread problem of addiction to alcohol and drugs in the young; a neighbour on the state’s international border ever willing to stir up trouble; and the political short-termism of ruling elites.
But Punjab knows only too well that Khalistan has zero answers to any of these questions and problems. The people want no repeat of the violence that raged in the state in the 1980s until the mid-1990s because of an armed uprising by Sikh militants, and the challenge posed by a movement fanned and fuelled by Pakistan’s ISI to the Indian state. It was Punjab’s youth that paid the highest price, and many in the state today have not forgotten that dark chapter. Keep reading
Four persons were arrested on Thursday, a day after a rally was taken out in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur by a group of people allegedly in support of wanted pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh, news agency PTI reported.
Based on the examination of CCTV footage and video clips of the statements given by people involved in the rally, a first information report (FIR) was registered at Civil Lines police station, Raipur Senior Superintendent of Police Prasant Agrawal told PTI. Four Raipur residents, identified as Diler Singh Randhawa (46), Manindarjeet Singh alias Mintu Sandhu (40), Harinder Singh Khalsa (44) and Harpreet Singh Randhawa alias Chintu (42), were arrested for allegedly taking out a foot march in support of Amritpal Singh on Wednesday, he said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said in the state Assembly that he had ordered police to probe the issue and take action against those found indulging in anti-national activities.
Contrary to popular belief, Amritpal Singh was not appointed head of Waris Punjab De (WPD) in September 2022 at Rode village in Moga. He anointed himself head of the organization on March 04, 2022. The announcement was made on a letter pad embedded with a QR code, which was a Google form to become a member of the organization.
Membership was open for most countries where Sikhs lived in good numbers. The form also asked members about their skills and included a WhatsApp number. The letter pad did not contain the name of any office-bearer of WPD, only a stamp of WPD. It had pictures of Deep Sidhu and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale but no signatures of any office-bearers.
The letter pad also stated that WPD units would be started soon after discussions. Soon after the letter went viral on social media, the family of Deep Sidhu, the founder of WPD, objected to the letter and called it fake. However, this did not affect Amritpal Singh, who already had a following on social media. Kamaldeep Singh Brar reports
Ajnala court in Punjab on Thursday sent 10 associates of Waris Punjab De to two-day police custody in connection with the Ajnala incident where pro-Khalistan supporters clashed with police, news agency ANI reported.
The 10 persons are accused of storming the Ajnala police station and clashing with the Punjab police in February this year to free a member, who had been arrested in an abduction case.
History comes alive once again in Punjab with the emergence of a pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh and the unfolding of a cat and mouse game. These events have touched off different responses in the three Punjabs – Diaspora Punjab, Indian Punjab and Pakistan’s Punjab.
Fortunately, for a large section of Punjabi society, the memories of the 1980s are still vivid. There is, thus, a greater responsibility on the political leadership and the state machinery not to make any concessions for those who wish to violate peace and harmony. Parallels drawn between the current moment and the times of Bhindranwale in the 1980s can be misleading. The current situation has its own specific features. Pramod Kumar writes
Multi-layered security arrangements have been made in Dibrugarh Central Jail where members of pro-Khalistan group 'Waris Punjab De' are lodged after getting arrested, news agency ANI reported.
A team of elite Black Panther Assam Police commandos has been assigned the task of securing the outer perimeter of the jail, while Central Reserve Police Force, Assam Police personnel and jail guards have taken up the responsibility of internal security. Apart from this, to enhance the security, CCTV cameras have been installed at the entire outer boundary of Dibrugarh Jail, Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh district Biswajit Pegu told ANI.
Earlier, a 27-member team of Punjab Police, had reached the Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh by a special Air Force aircraft on Sunday and brought down four members of Waris Punjab De. Later, on Tuesday three more associates Harjeet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal and Gurinder Pal Singh were flown to Dibrugarh on Tuesday. Harjeet Singh is Amritpal's uncle.
Punjab Police said Amritpal Singh and his aide Pappalpreet were last spotted in Punjab near Hardy's World, an amusement park on Ludhiana-Jalandhar road, and Lodowal railway station where they also travelled in an auto.
"As per available footage with police, Amritpal was last seen in Punjab near Hardy's World at 9:40 pm on March 18," IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said.
It is not clear as of now which travel mode he used to reach Shahbad Markanda in Haryana, he added.
Punjab Police shared a CCTV footage showing a man walking with an umbrella, who is suspected to be Amritpal Singh. The footage is from Sidhartha Colony in Shahbad Markanda, Kurukshetra.
"Though the face is not visible, but gait suggests that it is Amritpal," IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said.
The man walking ahead, as per police, is Amritpal's aide Pappalpreet.
Sharing updates on the recent dentention of a woman in the case, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said, "A Haryana woman taken into custody for questioning. Amritpal Singh stayed at her house in Kurukshetra on March 19 after reaching Haryana."
The woman, Baljit Kaur, was arrested jointly by Punjab and Haryana police, Gill said, adding, "She is being brought to Punjab for further interrogation."
The Punjab police have recovered the full trail of Amritpal's escape in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Haryana, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said today while addressing a press conference on the Amritpal Singh case.
"However, we cannot say where Amritpal may have reached by now. We are in touch with all central agencies," Gill added.
"We are recording the statements of owners of vehicles in which he escaped," he said.
The situation is 'totally peaceful' in Punjab and CM Bhagwant Mann is monitoring the situation, Punjab Police said today.
"A total of 207 persons have been detained in the case. The crackdown is not acting against any individual, but to maintain peace in Punjab, " Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said today while addressing a press conference on the Amritpal Singh case.
Sharing updates on the recent arrest of a Amritpal's gunman Tejinder Singh Gill, the IGP said, "Khanna Police arrested Tejinder Singh Gill. Facts emerged that he was involved in anti-national activities. Incriminating material was found in Tejinder's phone."
The Punjab police is continuously tracking Amritpal Singh's route, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said today while addressing a press conference on the Amritpal Singh case.
'Amritpal took a bike from near a gurdwara in Sheikhupur. He then went to Ladhowal station and took an auto,' he said.
Sharing updates on the recent dentention of a woman in the case, Gill said, 'A Haryana woman taken into custody for questioning. Amritpal stayed at her house on March 19 after reaching Haryana.'
Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh's mother and wife were questioned but the police did not harass them, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said today.
Gill is currently addressing a press conference on the Amritpal Singh case.
'Only those who are deeply involved will be legally acted upon,' he said, adding that while 30 persons have been arrested in the case, preventive action will be taken against 177. These 177 persons will be let off with a warning.
Khanna Police today arrested Amritpal Singh's gunman Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha of Mangewal village for allegedly keeping illegal weapons.
Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal said that Gill was a member of the security team of Amritpal and used to carry rifles. His videos and pictures were also viral on social media. On checking, it was found that no arms licence was issued in his name, Kondal added.
Some videos were found in his cellphone where he was firing from a rifle in presence of some unknown persons who were also carrying weapons, he said. An FIR under sections 188, 336 IPC & 27/54/59 Arms act was registered at Maloud police station.
The proud villagers at Kular village in Jalandhar were shocked when they saw the videos of fugitive ‘Sikh preacher’ Amritpal Singh fleeing on a motorcycle clad in trousers and a zipper, and not in the traditional and distinctive Nihang Singh attire.
Kular is the village from where the family of his (Amritpal Singh) UK-based NRI wife (Kirandeep Kaur) hails from. ‘Waris Punjab De’ head Amritpal Singh tied the knot with Kirandeep Kaur last month.
“We were quite proud that our village’s daughter got married to him (Amritpal Singh) as he was working against drugs and was involved in teaching the ‘Maryada’ of Sikh religion. But now after seeing this footage, we came to know what a coward he had been – he discarded his Nihang Singh dress, his ‘kirpan’ and escaped. He should have rather surrendered,” said an old woman in the village. Read more
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that appropriate action will be taken against a small Sikh protest rally taken out in Raipur allegedly in support of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh. Baghel’s reaction came after the BJP raised the issue in the Assembly.
“The protest rally was taken out without prior police permission. The Sikh community has made many sacrifices for our country which cannot be forgotten. The matter is being investigated by the police and appropriate action shall be taken,” Baghel said. Read more
With the advantage of hindsight, it is easy to say that Amritpal Singh should have been arrested at the earliest possible stage after his return to India in August 2022. His transgressions commenced almost immediately thereafter, even as his support base appeared to grow. Worse, both in political and administrative statements and in media projections, a larger-than-life image was being built up, far out of proportion with his actual significance.
And while the state and its agencies must certainly be called to account for their failures, much of the irresponsible myth-making was the doing of the uncritical and sensation-seeking media. “Bhindranwale 2.0”, the purported return to the 1980s, the incessant coverage of his obviously attention-seeking antics, and a series of fawning interviews — these and other exaggerations and distortions in reportage enormously inflated Amritpal Singh’s actions, providing him with the very platform he would otherwise have struggled to occupy.
These processes have not ended. Hysterical and sweeping reports, tying Amritpal Singh with gun-running, narcotics smuggling, drone intrusions from Pakistan and almost every ill in Punjab continue, even as the manhunt to put him where he belongs — in jail — is ongoing. Ajay Sahni writes
The Punjab Police around Wednesday midnight recovered the second motorcycle that was used in the escape of self-proclaimed Sikh preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh on March 18 from the Malsian area of Jalandhar.
A case has been registered in this regard based on the statement of one Gurbhinder Singh alias Bhinda of Malsian Patti locality in Malsian. The ‘Bullet’ was recovered from Sadiqpur, near Malsian. Read more
Punjab Police has arrested a man who was allegedly part of the private security setup of pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh, officials said on Thursday.
Tejinder Singh Gill, a resident of Mangewal village in the Khanna area of Ludhiana district, was deputed in the security of Amritpal Singh, who is on the run since a police crackdown on his outfit 'Waris Punjab De' began on Saturday, said Khanna Deputy Superintendent of Police (Payal) Harsimrat Singh.
Gill used to display weapons in pictures and videos on social media without having an arms licence. An FIR against him has been registered under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), the DSP added. (PTI)
Amritpal Singh, who continues to remain yet at large, has escaped out of Punjab, sources said today. The sources disclosed that the investigating agencies are suspecting Amritpal was desperately trying to cross into Uttarakhand from where he was suspected to attem[pt crossing over to Nepal.
The investigating agencies have also detained a woman based in Shahbad (Kurukshetra), Haryana with whom Amritpal is suspected to have stayed overnight a couple of days ago. The woman is being questioned by the officials to ascertain Amritpal's current possible location.
Punjab police's top brass is going to hold a media briefing on the recent developments regarding Amritpal's arrest this evening at around 5 pm. Meanwhile, the Haryana police are also on alert since there are several districts of Haryana bordering Punjab.
With Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh continuing to be at large after the police crackdown began against WPD activists on Saturday, the Punjab government Thursday restored mobile internet services in Sangrur and Moga districts as well.
As per an order by the Punjab home department Thursday, mobile internet services would remain suspended only in the two districts of Tarn Taran and Ferozepur till Friday noon. Read more
A fresh FIR has been filed against Amritpal Singh for extortion and rioting following a complaint by the ‘granthi’ of a gurdwara in Jalandhar where the pro-Khalistan preacher changed his clothes and fled on a bike to escape the police crackdown on his outfit. Police said the fugitive spent around 45 minutes at a gurdwara in Nangal Ambian village.
Ranjit Singh, the granthi (Sikh priest), said in his complaint with police that the Waris Punjab De chief and his three aides entered the gurdwara and demanded clothes of his son at gunpoint to change his appearance. The priest said Amritpal Singh threatened to kill him and his family when he refused to give clothes. They were carrying a pistol and .315 bore rifle, said Ranjit Singh. Read more.
With self-proclaimed social reformer, Sikh preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh continuing on the run for five days now, investigators suspect that he was likely to have evaded arrest to manage the “huge funding” he received for pushing the secessionist agenda of Khalistan in Punjab even as a fresh image emerged which purportedly showed him traveling in a motorbike driven cart.
An investigator said, “Given the speeches he had been delivering and challenging police, we least anticipated that he would run like this. Police thought he would give in and surrender after learning that he was being arrested. The only reason he escaped, we believe, is that he wants to sort out the huge funding he received. Otherwise, had he been true to his speeches, he would have not fled, and could have used the development to become a hero by getting arrested.” Read more.
Human rights advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur Wednesday was called for questioning by the Ludhiana police. He had released a list of all persons detained by Punjab Police on social media and offered legal help.
Inspector Gurpreet Singh, SHO Sadar police station, said that Manjhpur was released after questioning.
Manjhpur’s Twitter and Facebook have been suspended. “I was called for questioning and then they said I will be detained under 107/151 of CrPC. However after sometime I was released. I have offered legal help to detained persons," Manjhpur told The Indian Express.
He has been representing several Khalistan militants including Jagtar Singh Hawara in NIA and other courts.
Four arrested youth, namely, Manpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Gurbej Singh, and Harpreet Singh, who had provided car to Amritpal Singh Wednesday were presented at the Nakodar court in Jalandhar. An attempt was made to talk to the accused but none of them spoke.
Farmer unions of the state have preferred to maintain a distance from the ongoing crackdown on ‘Waris Punjab De’ and its pro-Khalistan self-styled leader Amritpal Singh.
However, they have said that amid the crackdown, the agrarian crisis and farmer issues have taken a backseat in Punjab.
Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, the general secretary of BKU Ugrahan, said that the Amritpal operation is a matter of investigation but the way it is being presented, shows that the government wants to run away from the real issues of Punjab.
Read Raakhi Jagga's story on what farmer unions think about the Amritpal Singh episode in Punjab here.
Actor Sarabjit Singh alias Daljit Kalsi’s wife Wednesday filed a habeas corpus petition at the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking Kalsi's release from alleged illegal custody in Assam.
Kalsi is one of the five associates of self-styled Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh who were arrested as part of the Punjab Police’s crackdown on Waris Punjab De and flown to the Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam.
The matter came up for hearing Wednesday before the bench of Justice N S Shekhawat. It was adjourned for March 28, when the court is set to hear the habeas corpus plea seeking Amritpal’s production. Read the full story by Jagpreet Singh Sandhu here.
The Punjab Police are currently questioning Amritpal Singh’s mother and wife Kiran Deep.
Kiran Deep is a UK-based NRI and a member of Babbar Khalsa International.
She was reportedly picked up in 2020 for raising funds for the pro-Khalistani outfit.
Punjab Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer Wednesday moved the resolution opposing Himachal Pradesh ordinance to impose water cess on hydro-power projects.
According to the resolution, "The Himachal Pradesh state's water resources are now the government's property, while any proprietary, riparian, or usage rights with any individual, group, company, corporation, society, or community are deemed to have been terminated." During the Assembly session, the House acknowledged and recognized the right of the State of Punjab over the use of waters flowing into the State for all purposes.
"This House very strongly and unanimously resolves that this levy of water cess imposed by the Government of Himachal Pradesh is illegal, and therefore, the same should be withdrawn by the Government of Himachal Pradesh," the resolution concluded. Read more here.
The motorcycle on which Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh fled has been recovered from the Jalandhar Cantonment area, DIG, Jalandhar range, told The Indian Express Wednesday.
Local Bodies Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjer Wednesday tabled a resolution in the Vidhan Sabha to create "a Punjab of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev’s dreams", ahead of their martyrdom day.
Noisy scenes were seen in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday after the Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion of the Congress on the law and order issue in the state.
As Question Hour began in the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha here, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa asked the Speaker about the adjournment motion on the law and order issue moved by his party. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan told Bajwa that it has been disallowed.
Bajwa asked the Speaker to give the Congress members some time to speak on the law and order issue in the state. It is wrong, said Bajwa when the Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion. All the Congress MLAs then rushed to the Well of the House and shouted slogans.
The Speaker asked the Congress legislators that in Delhi, their party says that the House was not being allowed to run. Here they themselves (Congress MLAs) were not allowing the House to run, he said.
Sandhwan told the protesting Congress MLAs, "I want to say to you that Question Hour is sacrosanct...People of Punjab will not tolerate this. People are watching you." The main opposition Congress has been targeting the ruling AAP in the state over the alleged deteriorating law and order situation. (PTI)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday moved a resolution in the Vidhan Sabha for naming the airport coming up at Halwara Air Force station as Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport. The resolution was passed unanimously in the absence of Congress members.
After Congress members staged a walkout, only 5 MLAs, belonging to SAD, BJP and BSP, are currently present in the Assembly.
While addressing the House, BJP MLA and party state president Ashwani Sharma objected to Akali MLA speaking in favour of Amritpal Singh. "This person has said he is not a citizen of India. All Punjabis are with the state government. At the same time, no innocent person should be acted against," Sharma said.
During the Zero Hour of the Punjab Assembly's ongoing Budget Session, SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali raised the Amritpal case in the House. He also raised questions about NSA being imposed on the people of Punjab. Ayali alleged that Punjab was being made to feel like ‘Ghulam’.
The Punjab Assembly witnessed tense scenes Wednesday, amid the ongoing Budget session, as Congress MLAs marched into the well of the House and raised slogans against the government during Question Hour. LoP Partap Singh Bajwa was not allowed to speak regarding an adjournment motion during the Question Hour. His mic was reportedly not switched on.
Meanwhile, Congress president Raja Warring shouted at the Speaker and alleged that none of their comments were being taken on record. The House continued the Question Hour, despite protests by Congress MLAs. As the scene heated up, the Speaker berated the Congress MLAs for disturbing the session. "Question Hour is sacrosanct and the people of Punjab are watching," the Speaker said.
The Congress MLAs, meanwhile, rushed towards the exit and then come back into the well of the House. The members also shouted slogans like "Dilli da banda". Towards the fag end of the Question Hour, the Congress MLAs staged a walkout.
Contrary to popular belief, Amritpal Singh was not appointed head of Waris Punjab De (WPD) in September 2022 at Rode village in Moga. He anointed himself head of the organization on March 04, 2022. The announcement was made on a letter pad embedded with a QR code, which was a Google form to become a member of the organization.
Membership was open for most countries where Sikhs lived in good numbers. The form also asked members about their skills and included a WhatsApp number. The letter pad did not contain the name of any office-bearer of WPD, only a stamp of WPD. It had pictures of Deep Sidhu and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale but no signatures of any office-bearers. Read more