New Delhi: The hunt to nab pro-Khalistan "Waris Punjab De" chief Amritpal Singh entered the fourth day on Tuesday. While the radical leader's uncle Harjit Singh was bought to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam this morning, Amritpal is still on the run.
Sukhchain Singh Gill, Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters), said that a total of 114 people have been arrested so far as a result of the crackdown on members of the Waris Punjab De organisation.
He further said that the police have a very strong suspicion of an ISI angle and foreign funding in Waris Punjab De.
Here are the top developments:
- The Punjab Police claimed on Monday that it has used the harsh National Security Act (NSA) against five persons, including Amritpal's uncle Harjit Singh, connected to extremist preacher's 'Waris Punjab De', which allows the police to detain suspects in any prison across the country.
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court will today hear centre's response to a plea seeking the "release" of Amritpal Singh. The habeas corpus plea was from Iman Singh Khara, legal adviser, Waris Punjab De, who in his plea claimed that Amritpal was in illegal custody of the police.
- The Punjab government extended the suspension on all mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur, and Amritsar's Ajnala sub-division and a few areas in Mohali till Thursday noon. The services will be resumed in other districts of Punjab from today afternoon.
The mobile internet services in all the remaining areas of the state will start functioning normally from today noon.
- Khalistan supporters attacked and damaged the Indian consulate in San Francisco on Sunday, similar to the London incident in which some Khalistani supporters pulled down the national flag from the Indian High Commission building.
- Satinder Singh, the Superintendent Of Police, Rural Amritsar, said that a fresh FIR under Arms Act was registered against Amritpal Singh and seven others. Amritpal is the main accused in the FIR. Six 12-bore weapons have been recovered from them and all weapons are illegal, he added.
- Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem Singh on Sunday claimed that the 'Waris Punjab De' chief has already been arrested by the Punjab Police and that the police were "lying" that he was absconding. "We are sure that he has been arrested. We want the police to present him before the court to be able to take legal recourse," Amritpal's father alleged in an interview with ABP Sanjha.
- On Sunday, four aides of Amritpal were moved to Assam's Dibrugarh district. "The four are currently kept in Dibrugarh central jail," PTI reported a police officer as saying.
- The same day, police arrested Daljeet Singh Kalsi alias Sarabjeet Singh Kalsi, an alleged advisor and financer of 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh from Gurugram, news agency PTI reported citing a CCTV video.
- The Punjab Police operation began Saturday, weeks after Amritpal Singh and his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station near Amritsar to secure the release of an arrested associate.
- The Punjab Police launched a high-level operation to chase Amritpal Singh while he was reportedly on his way to Shri Muktsar Sahib. Six of his aides were arrested while Singh managed to flee. Police cordoned off Amritpal's cavalcade in Mehatpur in a bid to arrest him. However, Amritpal switched his vehicle at the spot where his cavalcade was intercepted and managed to dodge the police.
- Late Saturday evening, Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh was declared a fugitive by the Punjab Police, shortly after he was said to be on the run.
- During the operation, a total of 78 persons were arrested by Punjab Police on Saturday, while, several others were detained for questioning. Nine weapons, including one .315 bore rifle, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver, and 373 live cartridges were recovered during the operation, the police said.