Amritpal Singh surrenders in Punjab’s Moga, to be moved to Dibrugarh jail in Assam
Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh, who was on the run since March 18, surrendered before Moga Police in Punjab, sources told India Today.
He will be shifted to Assam’s Dibrugarh jail, where eight of his aides, including Papalpreet Singh, are already being held under the National Security Act.
Amritpal Singh addressed a sermon at a Gurdwara in Rode village of Moga district before surrendering. He himself informed the police after reaching Gurudwara on Saturday evening.
Jasveer Singh Rode helped in the surrender of Amritpal Singh. Amritpal Singh surrendered in Rode, the native village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed in Operation Blue Star.
“He is an NSA subject and will be taken to Dibrugarh,” an officer told PTI. The Punjab Police has already invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against Amritpal Singh.
Amritpal Singh will be taken to Dibrugarh from Bathinda. His medical examination will be done at Bathinda Airport and a doctor has been put on medical duty. The doctor will accompany Amritpal Singh to Dibrugarh jail.
On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was asked about Amritpal Singh at India Today Karnataka Roundtable 2023. The home minister said, “It may happen sometime. Earlier he used to roam freely, but now he cannot carry on with his activities.”
Police launched a crackdown on fugitive Amritpal Singh and members of his outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ on March 18 after his supporters stormed Ajnala police station. He has rebranded himself as a follower of the Khalistani separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and is known as “Bhindranwale 2.0” among his supporters.
Amritpal Singh was brought to Air Force Station, Bathinda by Punjab Police.
Punjab Police in a tweet said Amritpal Singh has been arrested in Punjab’s Moga, urging citizens to maintain peace and harmony.
Amritpal Singh surrendered three days after his wife Kirandeep Kaur was held for questioning at the Amritsar airport while she was trying to flee to London. Kirandeep Kaur, who was questioned by the customs department, was detained as a precautionary measure under the same legal process under which the family and acquaintances of the absconding accused are questioned.
Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of Amritsar city on February 24, extracting an assurance from the police that his aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh Toofan would be released. Six policemen were injured in the clashes.
From Delhi to Haryana, the police has had several sightings of Amritpal Singh in a month. He was seen in different attires in a number of CCTV footage released by Punjab police. From a car and a mobike to a motorised cart and bus, he changed his locations, changing appearances with police missing him by a whisker.
After escaping the police dragnet on March 18, Amritpal Singh, released a video on March 29 and claimed he managed to escape and was safe. On March, he released a video and nudged the Akal Takht again to summon a ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ congregation.
He and his associates were booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants. His key aide, Papalpreet Singh, was arrested by Punjab Police on April 10 from Hoshiyarpur.
WHO IS AMRITPAL SINGH?
The 30-year-old separatist leader hails from Jallupur village in Punjab’s Amritsar. Until February 2022, Amritpal Singh was living in Dubai helping out with his relative’s transport business. He left Punjab after completing Class 12.
Things changed for him after February 15, 2022 — the day when Punjabi actor and then Waris Punjab De chief Deep Sidhu was killed in a road accident.
Waris Punjab De was started by Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu to “fight for the rights of Punjab and protect its culture”. Deep Sidhu was killed in a road accident in 2021. Out of nowhere, Amritpal Singh landed in Punjab and was declared the next chief of Waris Punjab De.
However, Deep Sidhu’s relatives distanced themselves from Amritpal Singh, and according to some reports, even accused him of misusing the organisation for spreading separatist propaganda.
Once a resident of Dubai and leading a non-orthodox lifestyle, Amritpal Singh became a Khalistani ideologue after assuming the role of Waris Punjab De chief and started promoting separatist sentiments.
In a ceremony held on September 29, 2022, in Rode village of Moga district — the village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale — Amritpal Singh was appointed the next chief of Waris Punjab De by his supporters.
After assuming the role of Waris Punjab De chief, Amritpal Singh took part in the Amrit ceremony (initiation into Khalsa tradition) in Anandpur Sahib. Amritpal, dressed like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Khalistani ideologue and his inspiration, got his pictures clicked in the same piercing manner and allegedly gave provocative speeches to gather the support of radical youths.
Following Bhindranwale’s example, Amritpal expanded the sphere of Waris Punjab De by organising mass baptism of young people into the Khalsa system. Amritpal Singh even threatened Home Minister Amit Shah by referring to the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.