On 7th April, the Punjab Police arrested the mother of Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh ahead of a protest march that was scheduled to take place on 8th April. The march was to be helmed by Amritpal’s mother Balwinder Kaur demanding that his son be shifted to a jail in Punjab.
Singh’s mother, Balwinder Kaur, was put under preventive arrest and presented before the court. She has been sent to judicial custody. Amritsar Police also booked Amritpal Singh’s uncle, Sukhchain Singh and three others, along with his mother. Singh, chief of ‘Waris Punjab De’, has been lodged in Dibrugarh Central jail in Assam since April 2023.
Amritpal Singh’s mother was scheduled to lead the ‘Chetna March’ protest march on 8th April. It was scheduled to be launched from Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda, Punjab. Deputy Commission of Police Alam Vijay Singh said in a statement that Balwinder Kaur had been sent to judicial custody. The police further confirmed that Sukhchain Singh and three others have been held under custody.
Soon after the arrest, Amritpal Singh’s supporters released a video featuring Balwinder Kaur in which she said in Punjabi, “Please maintain law and order. We will not give them [Punjab Police] any chance [to take action against us]. Stay where you are. Don’t indulge in any mischief. I request everyone to pray and reach the march site. If they take us to jail and do not let us come, it does not matter.”
Amritpal Singh' mother Balwinder Kaur has been arrested by the police before taking out the "Chetna March" at Damdama Sahib.
— PunFact (@pun_fact) April 7, 2024
This march was organized for the release of khalistanis locked up in Dibrugarh Jail as per the call of Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh. pic.twitter.com/Zcph7vI0o5
Security has been increased in the Bathinda ahead of the march.
Ahead of Chetna March the security is tightened in Bathinda, #Punjab. Yesterday, Amritpal Singh's mother & five others were arrested & sent to Judicial custody. pic.twitter.com/8yltJWrsCp
— Akashdeep Thind (@Akashdeepthind_) April 8, 2024
Balwinder Kaur and relatives of nine of the associates lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail with Amritpal Singh have been on hunger strike since 22nd February near Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. In a statement, Kaur said she would continue her fast until the demand to shift Singh and his associates to a jail in Punjab is fulfilled.
In April 2023, Amritpal Singh and his nine associates, who were linked to the ‘Waris Punjab De’ separated organisation, and one of his uncles were sent to Dibrugarh Central Jail after he was booked under the National Security Act (NSA). In March 2023, Central Agencies and Punjab Police launched a crackdown against Amritpal Singh’s Khalistani outfit. Initially, he escaped but was arrested in April 2023.
Amritpal Singh rose to popularity quickly after the death of Khalistani separatist Deep Sidhu. ‘Waris Punjab De’ was the brainchild of Deep Sidhu. Following his death, Amritpal Singh was given the charge of the organisation. At that time, he was in Dubai, running a transport company.
Singh shifted to India around August 2023. In September 2023, he was officially handed over the charge of the organisation in a Dastarbandi event organised in the parental village of Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Singh, who dressed strikingly similar to Bhindranwale, had a similar idea of forming a separate country called Khalistan. Just like Bhindranwale, he started a march across Punjab to encourage youth to join him.
The concept of a separate nation diguised as “noble” causes like de-addiction. By the time he got arrested, Khalistani elements in Punjab had started to see “Second Bhindranwale” in Amritpal Singh.
