New Delhi, April 23: Khalistani radical preacher Amritpal Singh Sunday surrendered in the Moga district of Punjab, ending more than a month-long police chase since he stormed Ajnala police station to forcibly accost an arrested associate of his.
The wanted fugitive surrendered at Sant Khalsa gurudwara in village Rode, where he was anointed head of ‘Waris Punjab De’ and the home of former militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale of Moga district early on Sunday morning, government sources. The Punjab police arrested him and took him to Air Force Station at Bhatinda under heavy police protection to fly him to Assam. He was lodged in a special cell at Dibrugarh jail under tight security, where nine of his associates arrested earlier are also confined, said police sources.
Punjab Police tweeted in the morning to confirm that fugitive Sikh radical Amritpal Singh has been arrested in Moga and urged people to maintain peace and harmony.
“Don’t share any fake news, always verify and share,” the state police advised through the social media post. On Twitter, some snaps purportedly of Amritpal were trending, showing him at a gurudwara in white attire. A video in circulation similarly showed him addressing a gathering at Gurudwara and announcing that he was surrendering to the police.
Tarsem Singh, the radical preacher’s father, said he learnt about his son’s arrest through television. “We too wanted the same (to surrender) because people were being harassed due to him. We will fight the case. The entire community should fight it. He was working to save people from the drug menace; an offer has been made to us for it...” Tarsem told a news agency.
Amritpal Singh had been booked under the National Security Act (NSA) after he went into hiding from March 18 to avoid getting arrested. The police apprehend that Pakistan’s ISI is trying to prop up the Khalistan movement in Punjab through Amritpal. The government of India has also urged other nations, such as UK and Canada, to take action against Khalistani leaders staying in their respective countries since they are funding and propagating separatist agenda here.