CHANDIGARH:
Fugitive Khalistan sympathiser and self-styled preacher Amritpal Singh dodged Punjab Police’s dragnet for the second successive day on Sunday, changing vehicles more than once and knocking down several bike riders along the way as his convoy sped through narrow country lanes in a bid to throw off teams tracking the Mercedes in which he had been last spotted.
Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal and three others, including an uncle known to be his shadow, are believed to have switched to the Mercedes after abandoning an Isuzu pickup truck found by Jalandhar Rural police close to Salema village, near Mehatpur in the same district. The left the key on the truck’s roof.
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Making of Amritpal Singh: Head of Waris Punjab De
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<p>Amritpal Singh has risen to prominence in the past 6-7 months as a separatist leader, Khalistani sympathiser and radical preacher. <br /><br /></p>
<p>Amritpal was born in Jallupur Khera village in Punjab’s Amritsar in 1993. After completing education up to Class 12, Amritpal left India in 2012 to join his uncle’s transport company in Dubai.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Just six months ago, Amritpal was appointed as the head of Waris Punjab De, an organisation founded by actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Amritpal underwent a formal Sikh baptism at Anandpur Sahib on September 25, 2022, officially becoming an ‘Amritdhari Sikh’.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Amritpal’s transformation from a clean-shaven transporter in Dubai to a separatist Sikh leader has been quite rapid. His style of dress resembles that of Bhindranwale, and some individuals are refer to him as Bhindranwale 2.0.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Amritpal has been using Facebook to promote the cause of Khalistan. He has raised a question, wondering why is it wrong for a Sikh to demand Khalistan if advocacy of a Hindu Rashtra is not punished.<br /><br /></p>
<p>During an interview with a Punjabi news channel, Amritpal revealed that he became involved in Sikh activism following the incidents of the Bargari sacrilege and the Behbal Kalan police firing in 2015.<br /><br /></p>
<p>There are three cases registered against Amritpal Singh, out of which two are related to hate speech and one is related to kidnapping.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Punjab police has launched a massive search to detain Amritpal Singh. While a few of Amritpal’s associates were detained, he’s still on the run.<br /><br /></p>
Jalandhar (Rural) SSP Swarandeep Singh said a .315-bore weapon, 57 live cartridges, a walkie-talkie set and a kirpan were found in the pickup truck. The vehicle’s owner, identified as Manpreet Singh of Anokharwal village in Nawanshahr district, was arrested later. In Amritsar, interrogation of the seven associates of Amritpal arrested last Tuesday led cops to another cache of weapons and ammunition comprising five .12 bore rifles and 193 cartridges.
Amritpal Singh escaped after intense car chase: Jalandhar CP
Another 34 Waris Punjab De members and protesters allegedly attempting to disturb peace were arrested Sunday, taking number of arrests so far to 112.
Amid search for Amritpal Singh, lawyer claims Waris Punjab De chief is already in Punjab Police custody
Search teams earlier in the day found two abandoned Ford Endeavour SUVs suspected to be part of Amritpal’s convoy. Jalandhar Rural police registered a fresh case against the absconding Khalistan sympathiser and his associates in connection with the seizure.
Manhunt for Amritpal Singh: Punjab Police recover two cars
Jalandhar DIG Swapan Sharma said investigators had received leads about Amritpal having links with Pakistan’s ISI and were trying to verify these.
