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Amid Amritpal chase in India, ‘Referendum 2020’ takes place in Brisbane, Australia, here is what we know

OpIndia Staff
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Amid Amritpal chase in India, ‘Referendum 2020’ takes place in Brisbane, Australia, here is what we know

On March 19 (local time), the scheduled voting for the so-called Referendum 2020 for a so-called separate Sikh Nation Khalistan took place in Brisbane, Australia. As per initial reports, the propaganda appeared to have failed as only a few hundred of the community members turned up to vote. The banned terrorist organisation, Sikhs For Justice, is conducting voting worldwide. Notably, the voting in Australia is happening amid a crackdown on pro-Khalistan Sikh leader Amritpal Singh in Punjab, India.

Recently, Indian Consulate was attacked in Brisbane by Khalistani supporters. They had chanted anti-Hindu slogans outside the consulate. There were reports that the consulate was forced to shut down, but the Ministry of External Affairs refuted it.

Low turnout for Referendum 2020 voting

Australia Today reported that the Khalistani propaganda at Brisbane failed miserably as Sikhs rejected the idea of Khalistan. Editor-in-chief of The Australia Today, Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, was present on the ground to cover the so-called Referendum 2020 voting. “The Khalistani propagandists have gone quiet. Their lines have diminished. There are hardly around 100 people right behind me. The community in Queensland has shunned the idea of Khalistan. Shun their propaganda and extremist views,” he said in his report. SFJ has called Brisbane a “battlefield”.

Australian Hindu Media reported that by 12 PM local time, only several hundred people turned up for the “much-hyped” Brisbane Khalistan Referendum.

Crackdown on Amritpal Singh

On March 18, Punjab Police launched a massive crackdown on pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh and his associates in Punjab. Security personnel from Central agencies, including CRPF in the state for the G20 summit, joined the operation with Punjab Police. The Police arrested 78 associates of Amritpal Singh during the operation, however, Singh was still on the run by the time this report was written. Punjab Police issued an advisory not to believe rumours on social media. Furthermore, internet services were shut in the state till March 19, 12 PM. Punjab Government imposed Section 144 in the state to ensure law and order. Amritpal Singh has been declared a fugitive by the state government.

Referendum 2020

The banned Khalistani organisation, Sikhs For Justice, is conducting so-called voting for Referendum 2020, demanding a so-called separate Sikh nation Khalistan. The last voting occurred on January 29, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia, where many Hindu protesters were injured after Khalistanis attacked them with batons, sharp weapons and fists. Amidst the rising Khalistani movement in Australia, several Hindu temples were attacked and pro-Khalistan, anti-India, anti-Hindu and anti-Modi slogans were written by Khalistanis on the walls of the temples. Hindu temples in UK and Canada were also attacked in recent times.

Amritpal Singh declared a ‘fugitive’ even as Punjab Police continues manhunt against pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief

ANI
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Amritpal Singh declared a ‘fugitive’ even as Punjab Police continues manhunt against pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief

Shortly after Amritpal Singh, the chief of pro-Khalistan outfit chief ‘Waris Punjab De’ was said to be on the run, Jalandhar Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal on Saturday late evening confirmed that the radical leader had been declared a “fugitive”.

“Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh has been declared a fugitive. His two cars were seized and gunmen nabbed. We also checked if the firearms of his security escorts had been procured legally. A case has been registered. Punjab Police have launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh and we are hopeful that he will be arrested soon. A total of 78 people have been arrested so far and further searches and raids are underway,” Chahal said in an exclusive interview with ANI. Earlier on Saturday, Punjab Police launched a massive state-wide Cordon And Search Operation (CASO) in the state against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) against whom several criminal cases stand registered. 

During the operation, a total of 78 persons have been arrested so far, while, several others have been detained for questioning.

Sharing more details, the official spokesperson of Punjab Police said, “On Saturday afternoon, several activities of WPD were intercepted by the Police at the Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar district and seven persons were arrested on the spot. Several others including Amritpal Singh are on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them.” 

“During the statewide operation, nine weapons, including one .315 bore rifle, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver and 373 live cartridges of different calibres have been recovered so far,” said an officer. 

The spokesperson informed that WPD elements are involved in four criminal cases relating to spreading disharmony among classes, attempting to murder, attacking police persons and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants. 

“Case FIR No. 39 dated 24-02-2023 stands registered against WPD elements for the attack on Ajnala Police Station,” he added. 
He said that all persons involved in criminal offences shall be dealt with in accordance with the law and all persons wanted by the police should offer themselves to the process of law. Their constitutional rights of legal defence shall be protected, he added. 
Meanwhile, the police requested all the citizens not to pay heed to fake news and rumours. 

“Situation in the state is completely stable. All persons indulging in mischievous activities for disturbing peace and harmony in the state shall be dealt with strictly,” the police said. 

Earlier in the day, mobile Internet services were also suspended in several districts of Punjab until 12 noon on Sunday. 

The police action came almost over three weeks after Amritpal’s supporters clashed with uniformed personnel at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar last month, demanding the release of one of Amritpal’s close aides, Lovepreet Toofan. 

On February 23, thousands of his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station, flashing swords and high-calibre firearms and threatening the police with dire consequences if they did not release Lovepreet Toofan, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting and abducting a man. 

The supporters, brandishing swords and guns, broke through police barricades erected outside the Ajnala police station. 

The police later said “in the light of the evidence presented”, it has been decided that Lovepreet Singh Toofan will be discharged. 

Lovepreet Singh was released from jail on February 24 following orders of a court in Ajnala on an application by the police. 

Reacting to the incident, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said that these “1000 people” don’t represent Punjab, and alleged that they are “funded by Pakistan” to disrupt peace in the state.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

British Muslim man found guilty of terrorism, was found making bombs

ANI
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British Muslim man found guilty of terrorism, was found making bombs

A British Muslim from Surrey, a county in England, has been found guilty of terrorism offences, including possessing explosive substances, according to the statement released by Surrey police. 

According to the statement, the culprit was identified as Asad Bhatti of Holland Close, Redhill was arrested on the charges in January 2021, and a search was carried out at an address in Redhill. On Friday, the 47-year-old was found guilty of two counts of possessing an article for the purpose of terrorism. 

“Today (17/3), at the Old Bailey, the 47-year-old was found guilty of two counts of possessing an article for the purpose of terrorism, contrary to Section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and three counts of making or possessing an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances contrary to Section 4 of the Explosive Substance Act,” the statement read. 

“Bhatti was investigated by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) after he had taken his computer into a shop to be fixed and a member of staff found some concerning file titles which he reported,” the statement added. 

Further, in the statement, Surrey Police revealed that after the investigation by CTPSE, some documents were discovered suggesting whoever was using the device had an interest in explosives and making explosive devices. 

Following this discovery, Bhatti was arrested and a search was carried out at his home in Redhill and at a storage container he rented. 

According to the statement, the police found chemicals, chemistry equipment, electronic circuitry and even an improvised explosive device, which was dismantled by a specialist explosive ordnance disposal team in the storage unit. 

This device was not deemed to be functional due to some of the materials used. At his property, items including a USB stick containing guides to make explosive devices were seized. 

“Bhatti was also found to be in possession of manuals he compiled and wrote himself. He had spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations on making explosives, shooting techniques and hand combat, along with manuals published by others on making explosives and combat. This resulted in a suspicion that the possession of all these documents was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism,” the statement read. 

In the statement, Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, Head of CTPSE, said: “The case against Bhatti was strong, I am glad the jury have found him guilty today.” 

“There was clear evidence of his extreme Islamist ideology and the danger he posed. He clearly hated those whom he considers do not follow his version of Islam, and he made a range of derogatory comments towards those he considers to be ‘unbelievers’,” he added. 

“I am especially grateful to the member of the public who recognised the risks and took steps to call the police. This allowed Counter Terrorism Policing to stop Bhatti’s progress in manufacturing explosive devices which could otherwise have caused significant harm to the public,” Wright said. 

Bhatti will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on April 25.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Dynamism and bold decisions needed to take the country ahead’: PM Narendra Modi at India Today Conclave 2023

OpIndia Staff
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‘Dynamism and bold decisions needed to take the country ahead’: PM Narendra Modi at India Today Conclave 2023

On Saturday, 18th March 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed India Today Conclave 2023. In his speech, he asserted that if the country has to move forward, it should always have dynamism and bold decision-making capacity. Prime Minister also gave a brief glimpse of the milestones achieved in the first 75 days of the calendar year 2023 and expressed his views on Indian democracy.

At the beginning of the session, Arun Purie welcomed PM Narendra Modi and said in his short address, “Sir I want to tell you one thing if you don’t mind. The media is so troubled by your government. This is because no information leaks from your government as it used to be in the earlier governments. Nobody knows who is going to be your presidential candidate, forget about the reshuffle of the cabinet or who will become the chief minister of the state. Pardon me, but I have also pondered a thought on what would be your answer to this. I think you would say, ‘Arun Bhai, why should I run your business?'”

Referring to this, PM Narendra Modi opened his speech with a reply to this as he said, “Today, I will run your business,” evoking laughter from the audience.

As the Conclave’s theme was The India Moment, Prime Minister focussed his address on underlining the reasons why the current era is important for India. He recalled his address from the red fort on 15th August 2021 in which he had said ‘This is the proper time for India to perform’.

PM Modi said, “Today the whole world is filled with a belief about India. Today India is the fastest-growing economy in the world. Today India is the number one smartphone data consumer in the world. Today India is number one in the global fintech adoption rate. Today India is the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer. Today India has the third-largest start-up ecosystem in the world.”

After this, he presented a list of achievements of India in the first 75 days of the calendar year 2023. He said, “In these 75 days, the country’s historic green budget was passed. In these 75 days, Shivamogga Airport of Karnataka was inaugurated. In just 75 days, the next phase of metro rail started in Mumbai. In these 75 days, the world’s longest river cruise ran in the country. Bengaluru Mysore Expressway started. A section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway was started. Vande Bharat trains started running from Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. The permanent campus of IIT Dharwad was inaugurated. India named 21 Andaman and Nicobar Islands as Param Vir Chakra awardees.”

He added, “In these 75 days, India has launched E20 fuel by blending 20 percent ethanol in petrol. In these 75 days, Asia’s largest modern helicopter factory has been inaugurated in Tumakuru. Air India has placed the world’s largest aviation order. In these 75 days, India has achieved the milestone of 10 crore teleconsultations through e-Sanjeevani. In these 75 days, India achieved the milestone of providing 80 million new tap water connections. In these 75 days, 100 percent electrification work of the rail network in UP-Uttarakhand was completed. we will run short of time to enlist all the achievements. This is a reflection of the India moment.”

PM Narendra Modi underlined the importance of soft power and explained how India’s soft power in the world is increasing. He said, “Today yoga has become popular all over the world. Today there is enthusiasm for Ayurveda, there is enthusiasm about the food of India. Today, Indian films, and Indian music, are making people crazy with new energy. Our millets – Sri Anna is also reaching all over the world.”

Explaining the secrets to this success, PM Modi credited the people of India and the collective efforts of more than 130 crore countrymen. He also emphasized the importance of positive attitude, dynamism, and capacities to make bold decisions. He said, “If the country has to move forward, then it should always have dynamism, bold decision-making power. If the country has to move forward, it should have the ability to accept newness, it should have an experimental mindset. If the country has to move forward, it should have faith in the capabilities of its countrymen and their talent. And above all, the resolutions and dreams of the country should be blessed by the people of the country, public participation should be there in the achievement of the goals.”

Prime Minister recently visited northeast India for the 50th time. Detailing the approach of the union government to look at the border villages and northeast states, he said, “We have given a human touch to governance. It is only because of it that such a big impact is visible. Now it’s like a Vibrant Village plan. For decades, our border villages were considered the last villages. We gave them the confidence of being the first village in the country, giving priority to development there. People of North East also used to feel the distance between their feelings and the union government in Delhi earlier. Here also, we linked governance with the human touch. Now the ministers of the central government visit the North East regularly. I have also scored a half-century of going to the North East.”

Targetting the previous governments, the PM said that earlier news headlines only talked about mega scams. He said that earlier media earned a lot of TRP by showing reports on scams, and now they have the opportunity to earn TRPs by showing reports on actions against corruption. “Don’t come under the pressure of anyone, don’t lose this opportunity in the name of balancing”, he added.

Prime Minister did not forget to highlight the power of Indian democracy. His remarks on Indian democracy are seen as a befitting reply to Rahul Gandhi who raised questions about Indian democracy in his speech in London.

Prime Minister Modi said, “The strength of our democracy, the power of our institutions is the reason behind what India is achieving today. The world is witnessing today that a democratically elected government in India is taking decisive decisions.”

The two-day India Today Conclave 2023 ended with the address of PM Narendra Modi on 18 March.

Leopard enters India from Pakistan by crossing the border, netizens welcome this ‘trespassing’

OpIndia Staff
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Leopard enters India from Pakistan by crossing the border, netizens welcome this ‘trespassing’

A leopard had entered India from Pakistan side after crossing the international border in Ramgarh sub sector of Samba earlier today. Video of the same has been released by the Border Security Force (BSF) and shared by news agency ANI.

This left the netizens amused who said they welcome such kind of ‘trespassing’ from Pakistan side.

Netizens said how this kind of ‘trespassing’ is fine as long as the ones trespassing are not wearing bombs.

Netizens were referring to the Islamist terrorists who have often crossed border from Pakistan side to unleash terror on Indian soil.

Some even joked how it might be a RAW agent returning after a successful mission. RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is the intelligence agency of India.

Some even joked how even animals don’t want to live in a poverty-stricken country.

Overall, Indians cheered the homecoming of the leopard in India from Pakistan.

Punjab: Khalistani Amritpal Singh on the run after police launched a massive crackdown on his Waris Punjab De, mobile internet and SMS services suspended

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Khalistani Amritpal Singh on the run after police launched a massive crackdown on his Waris Punjab De, mobile internet and SMS services suspended

After reports that self-proclaimed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh was detained earlier on Saturday, Punjab Police have said that he is still on the run. The police confirmed a massive crackdown on Waris Punjab De led by Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh.

The police have said that so far 78 persons have been arrested and many others have been detained during the operation. “Several others including Amritpal Singh are on the run & a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them,” Punjab Police said in a press release.

The official spokesperson of Punjab Police said that on Saturday afternoon, several activities of Waris Punjab De were intercepted by the Police at the Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar district and seven persons were arrested on the spot. Several others including Amritpal Singh are on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them.

The police informed that nine weapons, including one .315 bore rifle, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver and 373 live cartridges of different calibers have been recovered so far during the state-wide operation. The Spokesperson informed that WPD elements 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.

The police also appealed to the citizens to not pay heed to fake news and rumours. “Situation in the state is completely stable. All persons indulging in mischievous activities for disturbing peace and harmony in the state shall be dealt with strictly,” the press release added.

Press Release by Punjab Police

Earlier it was reported that Amritpal Singh was arrested after a high-intensity chase while his associates were nabbed earlier. He was going in a convoy of three vehicles. During this time, the police caught two vehicles near Mehtabpur in Shahkot, but Amritpal Singh managed to escape in the third vehicle.

Several media reports had said that he was detained after a chase at Nakodar and is being taken to Jalandhar. But now it has been confirmed that he is still on the run, while the police teams are searching for him and other members of his organisation.

The move came after the Punjab police launched a crackdown on the separatist leader and his group.

A heavy police force of around 50 vehicles was chasing Amritpal Singh’s convoy since morning. When the convoy reached Mehtabpur, the police surrounded it and detained six of his associates in two vehicles. The police also recovered a huge cache of weapons from Amritpal Singh’s accomplices. However, he escaped from his Mercedes car.

Earlier, supporters of the Waris Punjab De leader shared unverified videos of police pursuing his convoy in Moga district, with the vehicle eventually speeding to Shahkot near Jalandhar. Sources indicate that while en route to Bathinda, the police attempted to intercept Amritpal Singh, who is believed to be a sympathizer of Khalistan, near Mehtabpur village in Jalandhar. 

In the meanwhile, the Punjab government suspended mobile internet and SMS services in the state after the development. In an order issued yesterday, all mobile internet services, SMS services (except banking and mobile recharge), and dongle services provided on mobile networks, except voice calls, have been suspended in Punjab till Sunday, in the wake of a police operation against Amritpal Singh and his aides.

The order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Punjab govt said that as per the state DGP, certain sections of the society are likely to threaten public order by incitement to violence and resort to wide spread violence with an intention to stoke and cause communal tension. The DGP said that such sections may use social media and messaging platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram etc and also SMS services to spread inflammatory material and false rumours, to provoke mobilization or mobs of agitators and demonstrators, mobilize their own manpower and resources To their anti-national activities.

“There is a clear potential of threat to public safety, disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in the state of Punjab on account of misuse of mobile internet services, SMS services and other dongle services,” the order stated quoting the DGP.

Therefore, the ban on mobile internet and SMS has been imposed from 12 noon today to 12 noon on 19 March.

Amritpal Singh has a kidnapping case registered against him at the Ajnala police station in Amritsar. It is unclear whether any further cases were filed against him after his supporters forcefully entered the police station on February 24, following the arrest of one of his associates. During the clash, the supporters protested and clashed with the police. The police have not disclosed any information regarding additional charges filed against Singh related to the incident.

Who is Amritpal Singh?

Amritpal is a 30-year-old pro-Khalistan leader who leads an organization named Waris Punjab De. Within six months of his arrival to India and taking over the organization started by late actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, he has reached the point where he can mobilize thousands of supporters and direct them to barge into a police station to get his aide released.

He was born in Jallupur Khera, Amritsar, in 1994. In 2012, he moved to Dubai to join his family’s transport business. Amritpal’s LinkedIn page shows he was the operations manager at Sandhu Cargo, and his mail ID was [email protected]. Hel did his Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Mechanical Engineering from Lord Krishna Polytechnic College, Kapurthala, Punjab, per his LinkedIn page. OpIndia checked and confirmed the existence of the LinkedIn page that can be accessed from here.

Amritpal Singh remained active on social media throughout his time in Dubai and propagated his ideology extensively via his posts. He used a specific ID, sandhuamrit10, on Twitter to spread the propaganda. That Twitter account has now been deleted. After the death of Deep Sidhu, in a social media post, Amritpal Singh was declared heir of Waris Punjab De. However, the family of Deep Sidhu denied any connection to Singh.

In May last year, Deep Sidhu’s relative came out as the chief of “real” Waris Punjab De, but it did not gain the traction Amritpal Singh managed to get. Amritpal Singh came to India in September 2022. He went to Georgia before coming to India, and intelligence agencies hinted at a possible connection to ISI in their reports.

Note: This report has been updated with the latest developments

Photos with big leaders, nexus with police, and fraud of crores of rupees: Know how Kiran Patel, the conman caught in J&K, earlier cheated people

Gopal Tiwari
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Photos with big leaders, nexus with police, and fraud of crores of rupees: Know how Kiran Patel, the conman caught in J&K, earlier cheated people

On 17th March 2023, Kiran Patel – the arrested conman – was produced before a court in Jammu and Kashmir after completing police custody for 15 days. Kiran Patel is accused of getting security coverage and VIP treatment from the local administration by falsely presenting himself as an additional secretary at the PMO. He was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir on 3rd March 2023, but the incident appeared in the media much later.

As he became the issue of discussion over social media, many shocking facts about the conman surfaced. According to reports, Kiran Patel was also jailed in the past in a case of fraud. A Twitter user Harshal Purohit shared news reports about his past frauds on Twitter and wrote in the caption, “He is a very confident man. He gave away cheques worth 78 lakhs while he had only 113 Rs. In his account. Must be good at whatever he was doing. He always got away but not this time.”

According to news reports attached to this tweet, in August 2019, the same Kiran Patel and his associate Dipesh Sheth were arrested by the Raopura police of Vadodara. He was accused of cheating a sub-contractor of Rs 1 crore at the Kalanagari Garba Mahotsav 2018 at Navlakhi Garba Ground.

It was also alleged that Kiran Patel used to get his work done by pretending that he knew big leaders and also got VIP treatment at the police station. But the list of frauds committed by Kiran Patel does not end here. Twitter user @keetliwado has created and put up an entire thread of all his fraud cases. It is also alleged that Kiran Patel attempted fraud of lakhs of rupees by telling people that he has to give a car to the Vadtal Swaminarayan sect.

In 2019, Kiran Patel and his brother Manish Patel approached retired DYSP NK Parmar in Naroda. Patel duped the retired officer of lakhs of rupees as he schemed him saying that he wants to give a car to the Vadtal Swaminarayan temple.

Both these brothers have cheated the farmers in the past. Lakhs of rupees of poor farmers were spent on the pretext of giving good returns by investing money taken from these farmers in good schemes.

When the farmers demanded the money back, the conman Kiran Patel threatened them with an FIR by senior police officers. During this time, he also made the farmers talk to many big police officers.

Kiran Patel used to cheat people by showing them his photos with various big leaders. Sometimes he used to say that he works for the then Home Minister Jitu Vaghani and sometimes he would say that he is the PA of RSS official Sanjay Joshi. In this way, many cases of cheating by thug Kiran Patel are coming to light on social media.

Kiran Patel was detained in Srinagar on March 3, 2023, for impersonating a prominent official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and meeting with key authorities in the Union territory. An FIR lodged in the Nishat police station in Srinagar mentions that the accused conman ‘indulged in activities within the jurisdiction of this police station and other parts of the Kashmir Valley’. He was also given official hospitality, a personal security officer (PSO), and a room in a posh hotel.

‘When I eliminate Salman Khan, I will think of myself as a gangster’: New interview of Lawrence Bishnoi surfaces; petition filed in HC

OpIndia Staff
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‘When I eliminate Salman Khan, I will think of myself as a gangster’: New interview of Lawrence Bishnoi surfaces; petition filed in HC

On Friday (March 17), a second interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi named ‘Operation Durdant’ was conducted by journalist Jagwinder Patial and aired on ABP News.

During the course of the interview, Lawrence denied targeting the family of the deceased rapper Sidhu Moose Wala. On being asked about the man who threatened to attack Salman Khan and Moose Wala’s father, he claimed that the man has no connection to his gang.

He also spoke about his aide, Goldie Brar, and claimed to have no knowledge about his precise location. “Goldie tells me that he is not in the United States. Once he told me about his hideout in Europe and in Canada the other time…We planned the whole thing (murder of Moose Wala) with Goldie bhai..” he said.

On being asked about his life of crime, Lawrence Bishnoi said, “I still think of myself as a student. When I eliminate Salman Khan, I will think of myself as a gangster. I came to jail directly from my college hostel. Life teaches you a lot of lessons. I will also teach you when I meet you in person.”

Journalist Jagwinder Patial inquired, “Are you not afraid that someone else may kill you in a similar fashion as you did to other people?” The gangster replied, “Yes. I have resigned to my fate. This is bound to happen one day or the other.”

Lawrence Bishnoi later claimed that he did not murder Sidhu Moose Wala although it was his original plan. He said that Goldie Brar executed the final plan and took out the Punjabi rapper. “I am in jail for a long time and I’m being falsely implicated in the case,” he alleged.

The gangster, however, conceded that his only aim in life is to eliminate Salman Khan. On being asked by the reporter about an alternate plan for the actor to seek forgiveness, Lawrence suggested Salman Khan offer prayers at Mukti Dham Mukam temple and apologise for his act of killing a black buck.

During the course of the interview, he refused to take ‘protection money’ ever from any singer. He also claimed that the jail authorities do not allow him to step out of his cell but casually showed the interiors using his phone.

Interview not recorded inside the Bathinda prison: Punjab police

Interestingly, the Punjab police had earlier claimed that the interview was not shot inside the Bathinda jail premises, where Lawrence is currently being lodged.

Punjab Anti-Gangsters Task Force (AGTF) Assistant Inspector General Sandeep Goel had said, “This is not from Bathinda jail or any Punjab jail or Punjab Police custody. Bathinda jail, where he is lodged, is a high-security dead phone zone”.

Petition filed against Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview

A Chandigarh-based lawyer named Gourave Bhayyia Gilhotra has filed a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking an investigation into the interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from inside the jail.

Gilhotra has requested that a central agency be appointed to inquire and register an FIR against the person responsible for conducting the interview from within the jail premises. Bishnoi is a Class-A category gangster, who has been involved in over 30 cases of murder, extortion, and ransom.

The petitioner accused the state of Punjab of not conducting any preliminary inquiry into the live telecast/streaming of the interview. He said that the jail manual and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) do not permit access to prison inmates to the internet/ mobile use or give interviews to media without court authorisation

Gourave Bhayyia Gilhotra has requested the intervention of the High court and direct judicial inquiry into the incident by a national-level agency.

Amritpal Singh’s treasurer received funds from Pakistan: Report citing intelligence note

OpIndia Staff
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Amritpal Singh’s treasurer received funds from Pakistan: Report citing intelligence note

An intelligence note accessed by Times Now revealed that Waris Punjab De head and Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh’s treasurer, Basant Singh, received funds from Pakistan.

According to reports, the agencies have got reports of Amritpal Singh’s connection with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

Reportedly, while Amritpal Singh was in Dubai, he maintained close contact with Jaswant Singh Rode, the brother of Lakhbir Singh Rode, the chief of the Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). Amritpal Singh currently heads ‘Waris Punjab De’. Furthermore, the source also revealed that Amritpal Singh’s treasurer, Basant Singh Daulatpura, was receiving funds from Pakistan.

Amritpal Singh has been under close surveillance by security agencies ever since he arrived in Punjab last year. The Punjab Police have been consistently informed about his activities.

The revelation came hours after the detention of Amritpal and his associates on Saturday. The Punjab Police detained self-proclaimed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh after a high-intensity chase while his associates were nabbed earlier. He was going in a convoy of three vehicles. During this time, the police caught two vehicles near Mehtabpur in Shahkot, but Amritpal Singh managed to escape in the third vehicle. 

He was detained after a chase at Nakodar and is being taken to Jalandhar. The move came after the Punjab police launched a crackdown on the separatist leader and his group.

A heavy police force of around 50 vehicles was chasing Amritpal Singh’s convoy since morning. When the convoy reached Mehtabpur, the police surrounded it and detained six of his associates in two vehicles. The police also recovered a huge cache of weapons from Amritpal Singh’s accomplices. However, he escaped from his Mercedes car. But after a brief chase, police detained Amritpal Singh. 

Earlier, supporters of the Waris Punjab De leader shared unverified videos of police pursuing his convoy in Moga district, with the vehicle eventually speeding to Shahkot near Jalandhar.

Who is Amritpal Singh?

Amritpal is a 30-year-old pro-Khalistan leader who leads an organization named Waris Punjab De. Within six months of his arrival to India and taking over the organization started by late actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, he has reached the point where he can mobilize thousands of supporters and direct them to barge into a police station to get his aide released.

He was born in Jallupur Khera, Amritsar, in 1994. In 2012, he moved to Dubai to join his family’s transport business. Amritpal’s LinkedIn page shows he was the operations manager at Sandhu Cargo, and his mail ID was [email protected]. He did his Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Mechanical Engineering from Lord Krishna Polytechnic College, Kapurthala, Punjab, per his LinkedIn page. OpIndia checked and confirmed the existence of the LinkedIn page that can be accessed from here.

Notably, on February 21, Amritpal Singh issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the latter will have to face a similar fate as that of Indira Gandhi. “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfil his wish and see”, he said.

The organization Waris Punjab De was established by Deep Sidhu, an actor-turned-activist. He gained popularity among pro-Khalistani elements during farmer protests. Sidhu died in a road accident in February 2022. Amritpal Singh was declared head of Waris Punjab De following Sidhu’s death. At that time, Singh was in Dubai. In September 2022, he returned to India and officially took charge of the organization.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath becomes the first chief minister to visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple over 100 times

OpIndia Staff
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UP CM Yogi Adityanath becomes the first chief minister to visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple over 100 times

On Saturday, March 18, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath achieved a unique feat. CM Yogi visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple for the 100th time in the last six years on Saturday morning after offering prayers there.

During his six years tenure as chief minister, Yogi Adityanath averaged a visit to Varanasi every 21st day. Along with offering prayers to Mahadev, CM Yogi also reviews Together development work in the holy city.

Reportedly, CM Yogi Adityanath has visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple more frequently than any other chief minister in the state—in fact, across the nation. Yogi Adityanath worships here and uses the Shodashopachar method of worship.

During this, Shodashopachar and Panchopachara Pooja are conducted, and Shodasha mantras such as Purush Sukta’s Namaste Rudra and Rudra Sukta’s Namaste Rudra, among others are recited.

Along with assessing the law and order, he surveys the development projects on his visit. The administration of the Kashi Vishwanath temple was also quite impressed with Yogi Adityanath’s accomplishments as Chief Minister. Speaking to OpIndia, Sunil Verma, CEO of the temple administration, termed this record count as a government figure.

He stated that no records of who attended the temple and how frequently are kept by the temple administration. But, Yogi Adityanath has come to Kashi Vishwanath more than any other chief minister in history.

Yogi Adityanath’s two-day tour, according to the office of the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was related to the prime minister’s scheduled visit to Varanasi. On March 24 of this month, PM Modi is expected to visit Varanasi.

CM Yogi also created a record by becoming the first chief minister to visit Kaal Bhairav Temple 100 times during his tenure as CM. Notably, Kaal Bhairav is called the ‘Kotwal of Kashi’.

He performed “aarti” and offered prayers at the temple on Saturday morning.

On Saturday morning, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also went to the Circuit House to examine the newly constructed building.

On Friday evening, after arriving in Varanasi, CM Yogi conducted an on-site inspection of the construction projects and delivered instructions to the officials.

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