As the hunt for 🅷Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh continues for fourth day, his uncle Harjit Singh was flown to Dibrugarh in Assam this morning.
Here's a brief account of 🎶the incident and what shape it has taken so far.
The Punj🍨ab 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 assoc🌸iate.
Amrit Pal Singh's close aides arrested
The Khalistan ൩sympathiser’s uncle Harjit Singh and driver Harpreet Singh g🌌ave themselves up before police past Sunday midnight.
Harjit Singh, who officials sa🃏y helped his nephew gain control over the accounts of “Waris Punjab De”, is among 𝓰the five slapped with the NSA, which allows the preventive detention of anyone who could threaten national security or public order.
Harjit Singh is ๊shifted to the central jail in Assam’s Dibrugarh today, where the other four were brought on Sunday. They are🐻 Daljit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and 'Pradhanmantri' Bajeka.
Puꦉnjab Inspector General of Police (He🗹adquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill told reporters here that specialised units are involved in the efforts to nab the preacher – who gave police the slip during a car chase in Jalandhar district on Saturday.
Amritpal Singh’s uncle and the driver surrendered near Bullandpur gurdwara in Jalandhar’s Mehatpur area. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Narinder Bhargav was amon🅺g the officers at the spot.
In a video shot then, Harjit Singh can be seen producing his licensed 32 bore pistol💯 and cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh𒊎 to 1.25 lakh which he was carrying in a Mercedes.
The car was later seized and theꩲ two men taken away by the Amritsar Rural police, officials ಞsaid.
Three other vehicles𝔍 that were part of Amritpal Singh’s convoy on Saturday have also been seized. So far, six FIRs have been registered, 114 people arrested, and ten weapons and 430 cartridges recovered in the action against Waris Punjab De, police said.
National Security Act imposed on 5 Amritpal Singh aides
The Punj𒀰ab Police on Monday flagged a possible “ISI angle” as it invoked the stringent National Security Act against five men linked to radical preacher Amritpal Singh, whose uncle and driver surrendered amid a state-wide crackdown against his "Waris Punjab De" group
The IG said police have a strong suspicion of an “ISI angle” and foreign funding against those a𒈔rrested in this case, and further investigations are underway.
Gill indicated t🍌hat the preacher, who﷽ heads Waris Punjab De, could also be detained under the NSA.
“It can be invoked against him once he is✅ arre♍sted, and the rest of the facts will be made clear to you,” he said, replying to a question at the press conference.
On 𝐆the provisions of the NSA, the IG Gill said, "There is a provision under section 5 that to maintain peace and public harmony, anybody can be transferred to anothe♊r state with its consent. It has been invoked in this matter and is totally legal," he asserted.
He said police found AKF (Anandp✨ur Khalsa Fauj) inscribed on bullet proof jackets and weapons recovered during the operation. The initials were given to❀ the preacher’s close associates, he added.
The police are checking the source of ꧋funds for Waris Punjab De. Gill said the outfit has received foreign funding through hawala in small amounts to bank accounts.
Police are also probing the funding for the seized vehicles as people in whose names they are r🌳egistered did not have the means to afford them, he said.
Punjab police's operation so far
The P✱unjab Police operation began Saturday, weeks after Amritpal Singh and his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station near Amritsar to secure the release of an a🐽rrested associate.
The episode had raised fears over the possibility of the return of Khalistani militancy to t♎he border state.
The Punjab government has again extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services, this time up to ♛Tuesday noon. Polic﷽e have warned people against spreading rumours.
The Twitter accouꦓnts of some Punjab have been “withheld”. Gill said he is not aware of𝐆 this.
Replying to a question on t𝔍he habeas corpus petition that seeks Amritpal Singh’s production in court, the IG said the police will present the facts before the court.
The preacher is still not in the custody of police, he said. “Wh𒊎🐟at we have done in this case is as per the law.”
Amritpal's father Tarsem Sꦑingh said it is “false propaganda” that the preacher has links with the ISI and used drug de-addiction centres for stockpiling arms. He claimed that Amritpal Singh was being defamed.
Police are taking out 🃏flag marches in the state and peace committee meetings are෴ being held in all districts. There is complete peace in Punjab, he said.
The official urged people not to believe in rumours and fake news, saying strict actioꦐn will be taken ag♔ainst those who spread them.
Political responses received so far
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal hit out at the “puppet AAP regime” over th♉e crackdown, calling it an “undeclared emergency and reign of repression and terror let loose in the state”.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has condemned the “excesses” being committed against Sikh youths in the past few days. Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said he has been continuously getting calls fro🐼m abroad and within the state from people appreciating the Aam Aadmi Party government’s action against “anti-social elements”. He said the state is in safe hands under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and such elements will not be allowed to flourish.
Waris Punjab De was set up singer-activist Deep Sandhu. Amritpal Singh took ove🤪r as its chief month after his death last year.
(With PTI Inputs)
