Amritpal Singh arrested: Radical preacher Amritpal Singh was arrested in Punjab's Moga district on Sunday, according to police. But, Singh Sahib Giani Jasbir Singh Rode of Rodewal Gurudwara, where Amritpal was arrested, narrated a different tale. According to Jasbir, the Khalistani leader came to Rodewal Gurudwara on Saturday night and added it was Amritpal who informed the police about his own location.
Further, Jasbir claimed that he gave the timing for his arrest and claimed the separatist leader addressed the devotees before "surrender". "Amritpal Singh came to the Rodewal Gurudwara on Saturday night. He himself informed the police about his presence and that he will surrender this morning at 7 am," Singh Sahib Giani told news agency ANI. "Hours before his arrest, 'Waris Punjab De' chief addressed the devotees this morning in Punjab's Moga," he added.
Amritpal purportedly addressed a religious gathering before surrender
In a video that surfaced on social media, Amritpal Singh purportedly was seen saying he was "surrendering". “It is the birthplace of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. This is the place where my 'dastar bandi' (turban tying) ceremony was held. We are standing at life's critical juncture. During the past month whatever took place, you have seen that all,” he said in the video.
“A month back, 'excesses' were unleashed by the government against Sikhs. Had it been only the question of (my) arrest, then perhaps there were many ways of arrest and with which, I would have cooperated,” he could be heard saying in the video.
“In the court of Almighty, I am not guilty but I could be guilty in the worldly court,” he said. “After one month, I decided that we fought on this land, we will fight on this land and will never leave this land,” he stated.
What Punjab Police says
However, Punjab Police, in a social media post, claimed that the Khalistani leader was arrested from Moga, Punjab. It urged citizens to maintain peace and harmony and appealed not to share any fake news, and verify the facts before sharing.
Later, in the day, Punjab IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill narrated the sequence leading up to the arrest of Waris Punjab De's leader.
According to Punjab IGP, Amritpal was arrested by police at around 6.45 am from Rode village. He maintained that a joint operation was conducted by the Amritsar Police and the Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police. "He was located in village Rode based on operational inputs by Punjab Police. To maintain sanctity, the Police didn't enter Gurudwara Sahib. He has been taken to Dibrugarh under NSA...," he said.
Police did not enter Gurudwara: IGP
Further, he said that the police did not enter the gurudwara in which Amritpal was present to maintain its sanctity. "To maintain sanctity, the police did not enter the gurdwara and since he knew that he had no way to escape now, he was surrounded by Punjab Police. The village was surrounded by Punjab Police from all sides," he said.
Slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale hailed from Rode village and Amritpal Singh was last year anointed the head of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit at an event held in this village.
Who is Amritpal Singh?
Amritpal Singh had been on the run since March 18 when a police crackdown was launched against him and members of his outfit 'Waris Punjab De'. The Punjab Police had invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against the Khalistan sympathizer. Several cases have been lodged against the radical preacher and his associates for allegedly spreading disharmony, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and obstructing the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
In February, Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into the Ajnala Police Station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of one of his aides. His wife Kirandeep Kaur was stopped at the Amritsar airport by immigration officials on Thursday while she was trying to board a flight to London. Amritpal Singh tied the knot with UK-based Kaur in February this year.
Amritpal Singh had earlier escaped the police dragnet twice -- first on March 18 in Jalandhar district by switching vehicles and then again on March 28 in Hoshiarpur when he returned to Punjab along with his key associate Papalpreet Singh. Papalpreet, who is considered to be Amritpal's mentor and who has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan's ISI, has been arrested.
(With inputs from agencies)
