Amritpal Singh continues to evade arrest amid Punjab Police crackdown – 10 pts

“Seven people were arrested from near Mehatpur yesterday. Last night an FIR under Arms Act has been registered against them and Amritpal Singh is the main accused in the FIR. Six 12-bore weapons have been recovered from them and all weapons are illegal,” said SSP Rural Amritsar, Satinder Singh.

Here are the latest updates summed up:

1. The Punjab Police launched an extensive chase to nab Singh on Saturday. The police arrested 78 members of an outfit headed by him – including seven aides.

2. “He (his vehicle) was at the front and naturally, he was having an advantage and there were narrow streets and somehow, he managed to escape by changing his vehicle,” officials said.

3. Punjab police seized two cars of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh as well as several illegal weapons. “We have recovered a number of weapons and two cars have also been seized. Search is underway and we will arrest him soon.” 

4. Mobile internet and SMS services remain suspended. The curb was extended earlier today in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab – till noon on March 20.

“All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab are suspended till March 20 (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety”, the Punjab government said.

5. The Punjab Police and Rapid Action Force conducted flag march in the Model Town area to help maintain law and order. The Bathinda Police also conducted flag marches at various places today, to instill confidence among the public.

6. The radical leader had been declared a “fugitive”.

7. The case also appears to have reached Assam, with four ‘suspects’ being brought to Dibrugarh on Sunday amid tight security. The police have not confirmed any connection of the four accused with the Amritpal Singh case.

8. Security was also tightened at Amritpal’s native village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar, where his father Tarsem Singh alleged that his son has been detained by police. 

“There is no information (about him) since yesterday. We feel he has already been detained…there is no need of fear because he (Amritpal) has not done anything wrong,” he said.

9. The police action comes ahead of the start of Amritpal’s ‘Khalsa Wahir’ – a religious procession – from Muktsar district.

10. The developments come almost three weeks after Singh’s supporters clashed with uniformed personnel at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar, demanding the release of one of a top aides. Thousands of his supporters had stormed the station flashing swords and high-calibre firearms and threatening the police with dire consequences.