Hunt for Amritpal enters day three, preacher's uncle and driver surrender

CHANDIGARH:  With pro-Khalistani activist Amritpal Singh on the run, the Punjab Police registered two fresh cases again him and his aides, one for breaking barricades while he was fleeing on Saturday and the other on the recovery of a rifle from his abandoned car. 

The uncle and driver of pro-khalistani activist and chief of Waris Punjab De Amritpal Singh have  surrendered while Amritpal is still on the run but the police has recovered his Mercedes (SUV).

Confirming the development both Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jalandhar Range) Swapan Sharma and Senior Superintendent of Police of Jalandhar Rural Swarandeep Singh Amritpal said that Amritpal’s uncle Harjit Singh and driver Harpreet Singh have yesterday night surrendered near a gurdwara in Mehatpur area in Jalandhar. While the hunt for Amritpal is still going on.

"We have recovered the Sports Utility Vehicle Mercedes in which Amritpal use to travel," said Swarandeep.

The Punjab police till yesterday evening have arrested 112 supporters of Amritpal. Besides conducting searches across the state in their manhunt for Amritpal, the police conducted flag marches yesterday across didstricts.

Also, 34 more people associated with him were arrested across Punjab on Sunday, taking the total number of such arrests so far to 112. For reasons that were not immediately clear, four of his close aides were taken to Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam by a special flight. 

Amritpal’s cavalcade was intercepted while he was on his way to Muktsar Sahib to launch a Khalsa Wahir (religious procession) on Sunday. The elusive preacher, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet even as authorities stepped up security at several places in the northern state. Police had launched a "massive statewide cordon and search operations (CASO)" against elements of the 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD), headed by Amritpal, against whom several criminal cases had been registered.

READ MORE: Amritpal  aka 'Bhindranwale 2.0': Radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser

The state government extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Monday noon to keep social media out of reach of mischief makers. Besides, security forces took out flag marches at several places led by senior officials in the state. Also, peace committee meetings were organised in all districts.

Sources said the authorities have detained Amritpal’s alleged financer Daljeet Singh Kalsi in Gurugram. Kalsi is not just an actor and film producer, he is also said to be the self-styled preacher’s advisor. During the search operations, an abandoned ISUZU was found, which was Amritpal’s getaway vehicle.

A .315-bore rifle along with 57 live cartridges, a sword and a walkie-talkie set was recovered from the car. Amid claims in some sections that Amritpal is under illegal detention, the Punjab and Haryana HC issued a notice to the government based on a habeas corpus petition.

Flag brought down

A few Khalistani supporters brought down the Tricolour at the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday, demanding Amritpal Singh’s release. “The senior-most diplomat in the British High Commission was summoned and this issue was raised,’’ the MEA said

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