Punjab Police on Monday clarified that the pro-Khalistan fugitive Amritpal Singh is still on the run and not yet arrested. Police has intensified efforts to clamp down on him and his aides since March 18, 2023. Some of his aides are detained and some are taken to Assam’s Dibrugarh. Amritpal Singh, however, continues to be on the run.
The IGP Punjab Police mentioned that several rumours are being spread about him but they are categorically stating that the pro-Khalistan fugitive is yet to be arrested.
He further said, that there is peace in the state and situation is stable. “Particular action was taken against a few elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’ against whom six criminal cases are registered,” IGP Punjab Sukhchain Singh Gill said.
He further added that so far 114 elements had tried to disturb peace and harmony and have been rounded up and arrested. Of these, 78 were arrested on first day while 34 on day 2 and 2 were nabbed late last night. Ten weapons have also been recovered.
IGP Gill added that the police suspects Pakistan’s ISI hand on basis of the facts and circumstances that have come to the fore till now. Police also suspects foreign funding. It must be noted that on Saturday late night, hours after Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt against Amritpal Singh, the international ‘toolkit’ was activated where Khalistan sympathiser celebrities and politicians based out of Canada and the UK amongst others took to Twitter to support Amritpal Singh and falsely claimed that the Indian state was cracking down on ‘Sikhs’, thereby trying to create a Hindus vs Sikh divide.
“The bulletproof jackets and rifles that have been recovered and the gate (of the house) of the chief (Amritpal Singh) had AKF written on them. There was an attempt to form a Jathebandi called ‘Anandpur Khalsa Fauj’,” IGP Gill further said. He added that Amritpal Singh’s four aides, Daljeet Kalsi, Basant Singh, Gurmeet Singh Bhukhanwala and Bhagwant Singh were sent to Dibrugarh in Assam and fifth detainee, Harjeet Singh, uncle of Amritpal Singh was on his way there. He further added that the NSA (National Security Act) has been invoked against the five detainees.