The Punjab Police on Saturday said 78 people were arrested in a crackdown against Khalistani sympathiser and ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh and several members, including Singh, are on the run, and a “massive manhunt" has been launched to nab them.
In a bid to prevent the circulation of rumours and possible tension amid the ongoing operation, the Punjab government suspended internet services in the state till Sunday noon. The Ministry of Home Affairs is “closely monitoring" the situation in Punjab in the wake of renewed activities of some Khalistani supporters.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner said Amritpal Singh has been declared a fugitive. “His two cars have been seized and gunmen were nabbed. The legality of their weapons are being checked, he told ANI, adding further investigation is underway.
Internet services were shut down in parts of Punjab till 12 noon on March 19 following the incident. The Punjab police issued an appeal to maintain law and order and called for peace in the state. They also urged people not to interfere with police operations.
Earlier this month, a close aide of Amritpal Singh was arrested at Amritsar airport after he allegedly tried to flee the country.
Airport authorities at Sri Guru Ramdass International airport detained Gurinderpal Singh Aujala, who reportedly handled social media for the controversial radical preacher.
Officials said that Aujala was trying to flee to England. Sources said he was trying to take an Air India flight to London.
ANGER OVER AJNALA INCIDENT
On February 24, an armed mob led by the radical Sikh preacher clashed with police and laid siege to the Ajnala police station near Amritsar. They demanded the release of one of their colleagues who had been taken into custody in an alleged kidnapping case.
Six policemen were injured in the bloody clash.
Police officials later clarified that they were unable to control the crowd as they were carrying a physical copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, also called Bir in Punjabi, as a shield.
After 12 days of the incident, Punjab Police decided to cancel nine arms licenses of Amritpal Singh’s guards. Also, the police sought details of his security guards.
‘NOT SCARED OF ARREST OR DEATH
In an interview with News18 last week, Singh had said, “I think the current government will think maturely about what they will do (against me). I do not fear being arrested or killed. But what charges are they going to arrest me on?"
On the criticism against him, Singh claimed he has been carrying a ‘swaroop’ of Guru Granth Sahib wherever he goes. “It was false propaganda against me and that day it was not even an issue in Ajnala. Police had falsely imprisoned a person and had to release him. Then they started this whole propaganda,” Singh told News18 earlier.
Here are the top updates on Amritpal Singh’s arrest in Punjab:
• The Punjab Police launched a massive state-wide cordon and search operation (CASO) against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) against whom several criminal cases stand registered. “In this operation, a total of 78 persons have been arrested so far, while several others have been detained for questioning," an official release said.
• After reports of a high-speed car chase comprising over 100 police vehicles in the afternoon, the police confirmed that seven close associates of Amritpal Singh were arrested after officials on the Shahkot-Malsian Road intercepted them.
• The police also recovered weapons in the state-wide operation so far: nine weapons, a rifle of 315 bore, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver and 373 live cartridges of a different caliber.
• Police said ‘Waris Punjab De’ members are involved in four criminal cases relating to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police persons and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants.
• Sources told News18 that ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh had asked his aides to stay armed and had formed a team called ‘Anandpur Khalsa Army'(AKF). The team would always stay around him with dangerous weapons, sources said.
• A heavy deployment of police, RAF and paramilitary forces has been made near village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar, the native place of Amritpal Singh. Officials told PTI that the Union Home Ministry is “closely monitoring” the situation in Punjab in the wake of renewed activities of some Khalistani supporters.
• What Amritpal’s Father Said After Raids: Amritpal Singh’s father, Tarsem Singh, told ANI that police did not find anything illegal in their house after conducting raids for around four hours. “We don’t have correct info about him (Amritpal Singh). Police conducted searches for 3-4 hours at our house. They didn’t find anything illegal…Police should have arrested him when he left from the house," he said.
• According to reports, Singh is believed to be a close associate of UK-based Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda. Khanda is a trusted lieutenant of the leader of the banned Babbar Khalsa International Paramjit Singh Pamma, who often holds theoretical training classes for the Sikh youth to radicalise them.
• Amritpal Singh, Avtar Singh Khanda and Paramjit Singh Pamma have been aiming to destabilise Punjab by ideological indoctrination of the Sikh youth with extremist views, they said.
• Official sources said Pakistan ISI is believed to have told Singh to motivate the young Sikhs in the name of religion. “After coming to Punjab, at the behest of the ISI, Amritpal Singh tried to spread the influence of his group ‘Waris Punjab De’," they alleged.
• Singh was a truck driver in Dubai before the ISI, with the help of Khalistan supporters based outside India, radicalised him in bids to destabilise Punjab once again.
• The crackdown came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had, earlier this month, called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed with him the prevailing law and order situation in the border state. The Union home ministry last week also ordered the deployment of 18 companies in Punjab for “aid of the state government during law and order duties.”
• According to a CNN-News18 report in February, intelligence officials reported that Facebook and Instagram accounts sharing numerous images depicting supposed instances of Sikh oppression in India. Additionally, these posts are being promoted and specifically targeted towards viewers in Canada, the UK, and Germany. According to the sources, the advertisements are tailored to reach only young Sikhs aged between 18 and 25 years old. The funds for the ads, worth millions of dollars, directly linked Sikh secessionist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale with Amritpal Singh.
• Weeks ahead of Amritpal Singh’s arrest by Punjab police, top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the Khalistani separatist with international links had received a significant social media push from Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI through “indirect funding routes”.
• After the Ajnala incident Singh threatened Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann by saying he was on the path of former chief minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated by Dilawar Singh. Further, he claimed that Mann would also be killed in the same manner.
• Congress’ Ludhiana MP and former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu had last month claimed to have received a call from an international number, threatening him of dire consequences if he did not stop speaking against Amritpal Singh. In-charge Ghumar Mandi police post, Ludhiana, Sub Inspector Satnam Singh Bhullar said he had received a complaint regarding the threat call received by Bittu and further investigations were on.
• Commenting on crackdown on Amritpal Singh by Punjab police, Congress MP Bittu in a video post on Twitter, said the man who “used to talk about taking up arms for Khalistan is today running away fearing the police”. “Does a Sikh ever run away? He would have faced the police if he had courage. He is running around in the streets like a gidad (jackal). I used to say earlier, too, that he has come to get our children killed. He is a man of (intelligence) agencies,” he was quoted as saying.
• Amritpal Singh had previously issued a threat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he would meet the same fate as that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. “Amit Shah had said that he won’t let the Khalistan movement rise. I had said that the same was done by Indira Gandhi, and if you do the same then you would have to face consequences. If the Home Minister says the same to those demanding ‘Hindu Rashtra’, then I will see if he remains Home Minister,” he had told the media.
• Amritpal Singh was anointed the head of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ following the death of its founder - actor and activist Deep Sidhu - in a road accident in February last year. After he asserted control over the outfit, Sidhu’s family distanced themselves from Amritpal, claiming that he was never nominated as the leader of their son’s organisation.
• According to experts, Singh has been emulating the appearance and behaviour of terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during Operation Blue Star in 1984. This includes adopting similar clothing, gestures, carrying an arrow, maintaining a group of armed bodyguards, and using religion as a protective cover.
(With inputs from agencies)
