The sixth day of a manhunt launched to nab radical Sikh preacher and Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh on Thursday led the Punjab Police to Shahabad in Haryana even as new evidence purportedly surfaced on alleged anti-national activities carried out by the Khalistan ideologue and his close aides. The Police claimed to have recovered the full trail of Amritpal's escape in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Haryana.
Punjab police’s fresh claims came in the wake of the latest arrest in the case — Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba, who was in Amritpal’s security team and was often seen carrying rifles — for allegedly keeping illegal weapons. The police maintained that following Tejinder Gill’s arrest, the facts emerged that Amritpal was involved in “anti-national activities”. Several incriminating videos of arms training and firing by Amritpal and associates, in a “firing range” set up near a river in his native Jallupur Kheda village, have also been recovered from Tejinder's phone, claimed the police.
As the self-proclaimed preacher continued to remain at large since the crackdown against the ‘Waris Punjab De’ radical outfit on March 18, the police claimed that the leads obtained, so far, indicated that Amritpal had escaped out of Punjab and was last seen in Shahbad in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district. Punjab Police, along with the Haryana Police, have also detained a woman, identified as Baljit Kaur, at whose residence Amritpal is suspected to have stayed overnight a couple of days ago.
Sharing these details with the media, the state’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), headquarters, Sukhchain Singh Gill, at the same time, maintained that the situation in Punjab is “totally peaceful”, and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is closely monitoring the situation.
IGP Gill said that till date, a total of 207 persons have been detained, of which 30 are involved in criminal activities. “Of these, 177 people have been detained only for preventive custody and action will be taken only against the hardcore elements. The misguided and innocent youth will be released soon after giving a warning….we will not keep them for long,” he added.
He added, “Peaceful conditions completely prevail in the state. No innocent person will be harassed by the police. The Chief Minister has given clear instructions regarding this,” he added.
Meanwhile, the mobile internet services were also restored in Sangrur and Moga districts by Thursday afternoon, while the same will remain suspended in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts.
IGP Gill said that in a major breakthrough, Khanna police has arrested Tejinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba from whom incriminating videos of arms training and firing by Amritpal and his associates have been recovered from his phone which shows they were anti-national. “We have recovered several videographs showing Amritpal and his associates doing arms training in a firing range near a river in his village…We have also recovered ‘AKF’ holograms which belong to their private militia 'Anandpur Khalsa Fauj'. There are also some videos which show practicing the use of weapons, besides other incriminating material and sensitive videos and photos which we cannot share as of now,” said IGP Gill.
Route Tracked, woman arrested from Haryana
Stating that the police has so far succeeded in tracing Amritpal’s escape route from Punjab to Haryana, IGP Gill detailed, “We have recovered full trail of Amritpal’s escape…After Nangal Ambian Gurudwara, Amritpal changed clothes and reached Sheikhupura on the bike. Then, he along with his accomplice Papalpreet crossed Sutluj river on an old abandoned railway bridge between Phillaur and Laddowal. From there, he reached Hardy's World in Ludhiana, and took a truck to cross over to Haryana. Then, he spent night at Kurukshetra and left the place early in the morning to Shahabad using a scooter.”
Haryana Police has also arrested a woman from Shahabad area who allegedly harboured Amritpal and his associate Papalpreet Singh, and later handed over to the Punjab Police. “The woman knew Papalpreet from the past two and half years, and they were in touch…During interrogation, she disclosed that Papalpreet had arranged the stay at her house. She also disclosed that Amritpal had changed his attire and was still wearing a turban but has fixed his moustache,” said the IGP. The woman has been identified as Baljeet Kaur, a resident of Sidharth Colony of Shahbad, who was allegedly in touch with Papalpreet Singh. The woman was taken in custody by the Haryana Police, after her brother informed the police, and was handed over to the Punjab Police. The police claimed that Amritpal and his friend had stayed at her house on the intervening night of March 19 and 20.
Punjab Police has also recovered the second motorcycle, a ‘Bullet’ that was used in Amritpal’s escape on March 18 from the Malsian area of Jalandhar around Wednesday midnight. A case has been registered in this regard based on the statement of one Gurbhinder Singh alias Bhinda of Malsian Patti locality in Malsian. Gurbhinder Singh alleged that his motorcycle was snatched at gunpoint by the three people. He told the police that he and his friend would be able to identify the men in the future. However, speculations about the credibility of Gurbhinder’s statements emerged on the basis of the fact that he approached the police after four days of the incident.
CM’s Clear Instructions to Not Harass Any Innocent
Gill said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given clear instructions to the state police not to harass any innocent person during the ongoing operation against those trying to disturb law and order in the state. “Punjab Police might release as many as 177 arrested persons, who have a minimum role or were just got attracted to Amritpal Singh on religious sentiments only,” he said.
“Total 207 persons have been arrested for disturbing peace and harmony in the state, of which 30 have been found in substantive criminal activities, while remaining are under preventive arrest,” he said while assuring that people involved in baptism and de-addiction will also not be bothered at all. “Police teams are doing thorough screening of all the arrested persons and soon they will be released from the police custody,” he said.
The IGP said that the operation was carried out on the directions of Chief Minister with an aim to save the innocent youth of Punjab from playing into the hands of anti-national forces. “Punjab Police have clear instructions from the Chief Minister to not to harass any innocent person during the ongoing operation. Police teams have even not harassed the family members of Amritpal Singh,” he said.
Internet Shutdown: Govt to Extend Last Date For Filling Forms Of Upcoming Exams
IGP Gill further informed that keeping in view the internet shutdown in the state, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has decided to extend the last date for applying or filling forms for any Punjab-based competitive exams so that students don’t face any inconvenience. Meanwhile, Punjab Government on Thursday restored mobile internet services in Sangrur and Moga districts as well. As per latest order by the Punjab Home Department, mobile internet services would remain suspended only in the two districts of Tarn Taran and Ferozepur till Friday noon.
After initially suspending the services for three consecutive days till Tuesday noon, Punjab Government had restored it in most parts of the state, except in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur, Ajnala sub-division in Amritsar district and areas adjoining YPS chowk and airport road in Mohali district, where the suspension was extended till Thursday noon.
