Amritpal Singh was arrested from the Gurdwara
Moga, Punjab:
Fugitive preacher Amritpal Singh surrendered in Punjab’s Moga this morning after over a month-long chase.
Amritpal Singh, who the government describes as a Khalistani-Pakistan agent, addressed a gathering at a Gurdwara in Rode village of Moga district before surrendering.
He was arrested from the Gurdwara, officials said.
Moga is the native village of Khalistani separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amritpal Singh claims to be his follower and is known as “Bhindranwale 2.0” among his supporters.
He is now being taken to Assam’s Dibrugarh jail, where eight of his aides are already being held under the National Security Act.
Amritpal had been on the run since March 18, when Punjab Police launched a major crackdown against him and the members of his ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit.
His surrender comes days after his wife Kirandeep Kaur was stopped at the Amritsar airport while she was trying to board a flight to London.
Punjab police has urged people to maintain peace and harmony and refrain from sharing any fake news after the arrest of Amritpal.
#AmritpalSingh arrested in Moga, Punjab.
Further details will be shared by #PunjabPolice
Urge citizens to maintain peace and harmony, Don’t share any fake news, always verify and share.
— Punjab Police India (@PunjabPoliceInd) April 23, 2023
The massive crackdown against Amritpal Singh was launched almost three weeks after the radical preacher and his supporters broke into Ajnala police station with swords and guns for the release of one of his aides. Six policemen were injured in the clash.
The ‘top secret’ action was a coordinated effort between Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Punjab, the Centre, and BJP-governed Assam, say officials. Sources say Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had discussed the plan to arrest Amritpal Singh with Home Minister Amit Shah in a meeting on March 2.
Amritpal Singh had been allegedly leading young people towards “gun culture” and trying to divide Punjab on communal lines.
Home Ministry sources said Amritpal singh was planning to launch a statewide procession to baptize the youth to carry out suicide attacks. The radical preacher was using de-addiction centres to stockpile weapons illegally sourced from Pakistan through its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.
Source link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amritpal-singh-addressed-gurudwara-gathering-in-moga-punjab-then-surrendered-3971494