New Delhi: Fugitive Amritpal Singh, the radical preacher who leads Waris Punjab De, has been arrested in Punjab's Moga, state police informed, over a month after Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt against him and his associates.
The Waris Punjab De chief is being taken to Dibrugarh jail in Assam via Bathinda Air Force Station.
The Khalistan sympathiser was arrested near a Gurdwara in Moga amid the mounting pressure put up by Punjab Police for the same.
Last month, the police launched a major crackdown on Amritpal Singh and members of his 'Waris Punjab De' outfit. On March 18, the radical Sikh preacher eluded the police by switching vehicles and changing his appearance.
The development came after Amritpal and his supporters stormed the Ajnala Police Station, wielding swords and guns, and clashed with police, demanding the release of one of Singh's aides.
Here's a timeline of the events leading to Amritpal's arrest:
September 30, 2021: A lawyer-actor-turned-activist, Sandeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Deep Sidhu, floated 'Waris Punjab De' as a social organisation to "fight for the rights of Punjab and protect its culture".
September 29, 2022: Amritpal Singh appointed 'Waris Punjab De' chief by his supporters months after Deep Sidhu was killed in a road accident.
February 16, 2023: FIR registered against Amritpal Singh and Lovepreet Singh, alias Toofan, in Ajnala, for allegedly kidnapping, thrashing, and attempting to murder.
February 17: Toofan arrested by the Ajnala Police.
February 23: Amritpal and his supporters storm Ajnala Police Station demanding the release of Toofan. Under pressure, the police agree to release his aide Toofan.
February 24: Amritpal's aide and kidnapping accused Lovepreet Singh 'Toofan' walked out of Ajnala jail.
March 18: Police started chasing a cavalcade of Amritpal from his native district Amritsar to Bathinda. Cops intercepted Amritpal's cavalcade at Mehatpur of Jalandhar district and seven aides of Amritpal were apprehended. However, Amritpal manages to give a slip.
On the same day, the four of his supporters are airlifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam, after the Punjab government invokes National Security Act against them.
March 19: The manhunt enters the second day and police arrested 78 people so far.
March 20: Amritpal’s uncle, identified as Harjit Singh, and his driver surrenders in Shahkot of Jalandhar. Harjit was also booked under NSA and airlifted to Dibrugarh Jail in Assam.
March 29: Amritpal and his mentor Papalpreet Singh dodged the Punjab Police in a village near Hoshiarpur town. The police chased the car from Phagwara which was later found abandoned near Gurdwara Bhai Chanchal Singh on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road. They fled on foot.
April 10: Pappalpreet was arrested from Hoshiarpur in a joint operation conducted by Punjab Police and its counter-intelligence unit along with Delhi Police.
April 15: Amritpal's main aide Joga Singh arrested in Sirhind. According to Narinder Bhargav, DIG Border Range, Joga Singh was apprehended in a joint operation of Amritsar-rural and Hoshiarpur police.
April 20: Amritpal Singh's wife Kirandeep Kaur stopped by Punjab Police at Shri Guru Ram Dass International Airport, Amritsar as she was trying to board a flight to London.
April 23: Amritpal, already booked under NSA, arrested from Rode village in Moga district. He is likely to be shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam.