Amritpal Singh, Khalistani Sympathiser, Likely to Surrender; Punjab Police on High Alert

Pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh is likely to surrender, say sources. The surrender is likely to happen a day after the Punjab government told the High Court that they were coordinating with several agencies and were very close to nabbing Singh.

Let’s look at some of the updates in the case: 

Flag March Conducted By Police Around Golden Temple

A flag march conducted by police in the area around the Golden Temple in Amritsar to main law and order.

Amritpal Likely To Surrender

Sources close to CNN-News18 confirmed that Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh is likely to surrender on Wednesday. Singh is likely to present itself before Akal Takth. The head of Akal Takht is presently based in Bhatinda. It has been known that Amritpal might surrender in Bathinda or Amritsar.

Cops Carry Out Search Operations in Hoshiarpur 

In the wake of the Punjab Police being on high alert after radical preacher Amritpal Singh escaped its dragnet, a massive search operation was launched in a Hoshiarpur village late on Tuesday night after some suspects abandoned their vehicle following a chase.

A police team was chasing a car from Phagwara after it suspected that fugitive Amritpal and his aide could be travelling in that vehicle, sources said.

The occupants of the vehicle abandoned the car near Gurdwara Bhai Chanchal Singh in Marnaian village here and fled, they said.

A cordon and search operation has been launched in and around the village while checkposts and barricades have been raised on the roads to nab the suspects.

Amritpal Singh remains untraceable since a police crackdown against him and members of his pro-Khalistan ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit on March 18, about three weeks after he and his supporters stormed into the Ajnala police station near Amritsar to secure the release of an arrested man.

Amritpal Singh Seen Without Turban in Fresh CCTV Footage

A new video of Amritpal Singh with his key aide Papalpreet Singh surfaced on social media on Tuesday, showing the pro-Khalistan preacher without a turban and wearing a mask.

The undated CCTV footage, said to be from a market in Delhi, showed the fugitive walking down a street wearing dark glasses. Behind him, Papalpreet Singh could be seen walking with a bag. There is no official word from Punjab Police on the fresh footage.

A senior Delhi Police official said they are probing whether the persons seen in the video are Amritpal Singh and his aide. ” So far we don’t have any such information, nor the location where the video was shot has been confirmed to be of Delhi. However, we are verifying it,” the official said.

The video has emerged a day after a picture of Amritpal Singh and Papalpreet Singh widely circulated on social media. That image showed both these men looking relaxed and Amritpal Singh holding a beverage can.

Close to Catching Amritpal Singh, Punjab Govt Tells HC

The Punjab government told the high court here on Tuesday that they were coordinating with several agencies and close to catching pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh.

The radical preacher, declared a fugitive by the government, has been on the run since a police crackdown on him and his outfit — Waris Punjab De — began on March 18. Images and videos that emerged on social media have showed him changing his vehicles and appearance multiple times in a bid to dodge police.

However, Punjab police have detained or arrested a number of his associates during the crackdown.

Akal Takht Jathedar Gives 24-hr Ultimatum for Release of Sikhs

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpeet Singh on Monday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths who were held during the police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he has asked the director general of police to release those who were taken into preventive custody and their involvement to any anti-national activity was not found.

On the sidelines of an event in Jalandhar, Mann, however, said strict action will be taken against whosoever tries to disturb peace in the state.

Following a police crackdown against Amritpal and his associates, Punjab Police Sunday said it has released 197 persons out of total 353 taken into preventive custody on apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of law and order.  The Jathedar also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few persons during the police crackdown.

Nepal Puts Amritpal Singh on Surveillance List

Nepal on Monday put fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who is believed to be hiding in the country, on its surveillance list after India requested it not to allow him to flee to a third country and arrest him if he attempts to escape using an Indian passport or any other fake passport.

The Department of Immigration has put Singh on its surveillance list following a request from the Indian Embassy here, officials said.

“We have received a written note along with a copy of his passport from the (Indian) embassy suspecting that Amritpal Singh might have entered Nepal,” said Kamal Prasad Pandey, the Information Officer at the Department.

Read all the Latest India News here