Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh yet to be arrested; Punjab ...

Lagatar24 Desk

Amritsar, March 19: Amritpal Singh, Khalistani leader, is on the run along with his accomplices after police launched a mega operation to arrest him on Saturday morning. The state police have declared him a fugitive.

Amritpal Singh, who was last reportedly seen speeding away on a motorbike Friday night in Jalandhar, was the target of a huge investigation. According to sources, 78 members of his group ‘Waris Punjab De’ have been apprehended by the police while others have been held for interrogation.

“Six to seven gunmen of Amritpal Singh are among those arrested by police,” said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, Jalandhar Police Commissioner.

Daljeet Singh Kalsi, a close associate of Amritpal Singh who manages the Khalistani leader’s finances, has also been detained in Gurgaon, Haryana.

On his trip to Jalandhar’s Shahkot tehsil yesterday, the Khalistani leader’s convoy was escorted by a special state police squad made up of officers from seven districts. The extremist Sikh preacher, who claims to be a supporter of terrorist Bhindranwale, was able to ride a motorbike away from the dragnet of the police.

Following the posting of certain videos on social media by his aides in which they claimed that police were pursuing them and urging his fans to assemble at Shahkot, authorities increased security at many locations and blocked internet and SMS services in the state.

Meanwhile, in order to stop the propagation of false information and rumours on social media, the state will maintain its internet restriction until Monday noon, according to officials. Amritsar has also put in place extensive security measures outside of Amritpal Singh’s hamlet, Jallupur Khaira.

Authorities have advised people to keep the calm and refrain from sharing any edited recordings.

According to sources, on March 2, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Home Minister Amit met to explore the idea of arresting Amritpal Singh. Prior to the police searching for him on Saturday, the centre reportedly dispatched more forces to Punjab, according to sources.

A month ago, Amritpal Singh and his supporters entered a police station brandishing weapons in order to demand the release of one of his prisoners.