AMRITSAR: Father of pro-Khalistan leader and head of Waris de Punjab Amritpal Singhwho was declared a fugitive by the Jalandhar commissioner on Saturday night, said Punjab police conducted searches of his residence in Amritsar but found “nothing illegal”.
On Saturday, Punjab police launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh and his aides, in the wake of a showdown between his followers and uniformed staff outside Ajnala police station to free a member, who he had been arrested in a kidnapping case.
Tarsem Singh, Amritpal’s father, said the police should have arrested him before he left his house.
“We have no information about his whereabouts. They searched our residence for 3-4 hours but found nothing illegal. The police should have arrested him before he left his house,” Tarsem Singh said in an interview exclusive. with ANI on Saturday.
Meanwhile, late Saturday evening, Jalandhar commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal confirmed that the radical leader had been declared a “fugitive”.
“Waris Punjab DeChief Amritpal Singh has been declared a fugitive. His two cars were impounded and armed men were captured. We also checked whether the firearms in his safety stock were legally procured. One case has been registered. Punjab police have launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh and we hope he will be arrested soon. A total of 78 people have been arrested so far and further searches and raids are ongoing,” Chahal said in an exclusive interview with ANI.
On Saturday, the Punjab Police launched a massive statewide cordon and search operation (CASO) against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) against whom several criminal cases have been registered.
During the operation, a total of 78 people have been arrested so far, while many more have been held for questioning.
Sharing more details, the official Punjab Police spokesperson said, “On Saturday afternoon, several WPD activities were intercepted by police on Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar district and seven people were arrested at the scene. Many more including Amritpal Singh, have been on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to catch them.”
“In the statewide operation, nine weapons have been recovered so far, including one .315-caliber rifle, seven 12-gauge shotguns, a revolver and 373 live cartridges of various calibers,” an officer said.
The spokesperson informed that elements of the WPD are involved in four criminal cases related to spreading class disharmony, assassination attempt, assaulting police officers and creating obstacles to the legitimate performance of civil servants’ duties.
“FIR Case No. 39 dated 24-02-2023 is registered against WPD elements for the Ajnala Police Station attack,” he added.
He said that all persons involved in criminal offenses must be treated in accordance with the law and all persons wanted by the police must go through the legal process. Their constitutional rights to legal defense will be protected, she added.
Meanwhile, the police have urged all citizens not to pay attention to fake news and rumours.
“The situation in the state is completely stable. All people who engage in malicious activities to disturb the peace and harmony in the state are to be dealt with strictly,” the police said. Earlier in the day, mobile internet services were also suspended in several districts of Punjab until 12 noon on Sunday.
The police action came nearly more than three weeks after Amritpal supporters clashed with uniformed staff at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar last month demanding the release of one of the close associates. of Amritpal, Lovepreet Toofan.
On 23 February, thousands of his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station, waving swords and high caliber firearms and threatening the police with dire consequences if they did not release Lovepreet Toofan, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a man.
Supporters, brandishing swords and rifles, broke through the police barricades erected outside the Ajnala police station.
Police later said that “in the light of the evidence presented,” that was the decision Lovepreet Singh Toofan will be discharged. Lovepreet Singh was released from jail on 24 February following orders from an Ajnala court at the request of the police.
In reaction to the incident, Prime Minister Bhagwant Mann said that these “1000 people” do not represent Punjab and claimed that he was “funded by Pakistan” to disrupt the peace in the state.
On Saturday, Punjab police launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh and his aides, in the wake of a showdown between his followers and uniformed staff outside Ajnala police station to free a member, who he had been arrested in a kidnapping case.
Tarsem Singh, Amritpal’s father, said the police should have arrested him before he left his house.
“We have no information about his whereabouts. They searched our residence for 3-4 hours but found nothing illegal. The police should have arrested him before he left his house,” Tarsem Singh said in an interview exclusive. with ANI on Saturday.
Meanwhile, late Saturday evening, Jalandhar commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal confirmed that the radical leader had been declared a “fugitive”.
“Waris Punjab DeChief Amritpal Singh has been declared a fugitive. His two cars were impounded and armed men were captured. We also checked whether the firearms in his safety stock were legally procured. One case has been registered. Punjab police have launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh and we hope he will be arrested soon. A total of 78 people have been arrested so far and further searches and raids are ongoing,” Chahal said in an exclusive interview with ANI.
On Saturday, the Punjab Police launched a massive statewide cordon and search operation (CASO) against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD) against whom several criminal cases have been registered.
During the operation, a total of 78 people have been arrested so far, while many more have been held for questioning.
Sharing more details, the official Punjab Police spokesperson said, “On Saturday afternoon, several WPD activities were intercepted by police on Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar district and seven people were arrested at the scene. Many more including Amritpal Singh, have been on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to catch them.”
“In the statewide operation, nine weapons have been recovered so far, including one .315-caliber rifle, seven 12-gauge shotguns, a revolver and 373 live cartridges of various calibers,” an officer said.
The spokesperson informed that elements of the WPD are involved in four criminal cases related to spreading class disharmony, assassination attempt, assaulting police officers and creating obstacles to the legitimate performance of civil servants’ duties.
“FIR Case No. 39 dated 24-02-2023 is registered against WPD elements for the Ajnala Police Station attack,” he added.
He said that all persons involved in criminal offenses must be treated in accordance with the law and all persons wanted by the police must go through the legal process. Their constitutional rights to legal defense will be protected, she added.
Meanwhile, the police have urged all citizens not to pay attention to fake news and rumours.
“The situation in the state is completely stable. All people who engage in malicious activities to disturb the peace and harmony in the state are to be dealt with strictly,” the police said. Earlier in the day, mobile internet services were also suspended in several districts of Punjab until 12 noon on Sunday.
The police action came nearly more than three weeks after Amritpal supporters clashed with uniformed staff at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar last month demanding the release of one of the close associates. of Amritpal, Lovepreet Toofan.
On 23 February, thousands of his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station, waving swords and high caliber firearms and threatening the police with dire consequences if they did not release Lovepreet Toofan, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a man.
Supporters, brandishing swords and rifles, broke through the police barricades erected outside the Ajnala police station.
Police later said that “in the light of the evidence presented,” that was the decision Lovepreet Singh Toofan will be discharged. Lovepreet Singh was released from jail on 24 February following orders from an Ajnala court at the request of the police.
In reaction to the incident, Prime Minister Bhagwant Mann said that these “1000 people” do not represent Punjab and claimed that he was “funded by Pakistan” to disrupt the peace in the state.
