Crackdown on Waris Punjab De: Security blanket over Punjab as police close in on Amritpal, 78 held

The police action against Amritpal came on the eve of the death anniversary of singer Sidhu Moosewala, and a day after the conclusion of  G20 meetings in Amritsar.

Sources said Amritpal was on his way to Bathinda when police tried to intercept him near Mehtabpur village in Jalandhar.

His vehicle was stopped at a police naka on the Jalandhar-Moga road around 11.30 am. Sources said this alerted Amritpal who realised his vehicle was being chased, and eventually escaped.

In the evening, police surrounded several villages in the Shahkot area, suspecting he was hiding in one of the villages.

A video clip doing the rounds of social media showed Amritpal in a speeding car.

He was to visit a local gurdwara in Bhadaur, Sangrur district, around 2 pm, but he did not show up.

Jallupur Khera, the village he hails from,  turned into a fortress. Amritpal’s father Tarsem Singh said, “Police have asked us to tell him to surrender.”

In the evening, police surrounded several villages in the Shahkot area, suspecting he was hiding in one of the villages.

“Amritpal is working against drugs, that’s the reason there is political pressure to arrest him,” he alleged. Asked whether his son’s activities were anti-national, he said, “Isn’t selling drugs anti-national?”.

The crackdown came a day before Amritpal was to resume Khalsa Vaheer, a march to propagate baptism, from Muktsar district.

A spokesperson for Punjab Police said they  launched a massive statewide cordon-and search-operation (CASO) against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) involved in four criminal cases relating to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants.

An FIR was registered on February 24 against WPD elements for the attack a day earlier on Ajnala police station, the spokesperson said.

While seven persons were arrested on the spot at the Shahkot-Malsian road in Jalandhar district, Amritpal Singh and several others managed to slip away. “A massive manhunt has been launched to nab them,” the spokesperson said.

Nine weapons – a .315 bore rifle, seven 12 bore rifles, a revolver – and 373 live cartridges have been seized so far.

While 78 people have been arrested so far, several others have been detained for questioning.

A group of Nihangs blocked the airport road near Sohana gurudwara in Mohali and shouted slogans demanding the release of Amritpal.

Meanwhile, intelligence agencies have come across evidence that Amritpal was in close touch with Jaswant Singh Rode, brother of Pakistan-based proscribed Khalistani operative Lakhbir Singh Rode, and militant Paramjit Singh Pamma when he was in Dubai.

The agencies have also gathered details of funds from Pakistan for Amritpal’s treasurer Basant Singh Daulatpura.

Over the last six months, after monitoring Amritpal’s activities, intelligence agencies have prepared a dossier on him – recording more than 10 hate speeches, his financiers, flaunting of weapons by his associates, his activities in cyberspace, social media accounts, and visits to drug rehabilitation centres, among others.

Recently, a meeting was held in the Ministry of Home Affairs with officers of intelligence agencies and Punjab Police. “Officers of the intelligence agencies informed the meeting that they had come to know he was in direct touch with Jaswant Singh Rode, based in Dubai. Amritpal had gone to Dubai in 2012 to join his family’s transport business,” an officer said.

Sources said he was also in touch with Khalistani militant Paramjit Singh Pamma, wanted for the 2010 twin bomb blasts in Patiala and Ambala, and the 2009 killing of Rulda Singh, head of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat.

Sharing details of financial support for Amritpal, another officer said his treasurer, identified as Basant Singh Daulatpura, had been receiving funds from Pakistan. “The financial analysis revealed that his associate, John Singh, is a prominent member of Sikhs for Justice and actively participated in the activities of Referendum 2020 in the US. Another suspected financier, who is Canada-based, recently sent Rs 1 lakh for Waris Punjab De,” the officer said.

Before returning to India on August 20, 2022, Amritpal spent one-and-a-half months in Georgia, a senior officer said.