Days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Punjab police plans to arrest the Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh. On March 2, both leaders reported discussing the matter during the meeting.

Amritpal Singh heads ‘Waris Punjab De,’ a radical organisation started by actor and activist Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident in February last year.

According to the media reports, Amritpal Singh, who was at the centre of a massive protest against the arrest of his key aide last month, is on the run from the Punjab Police. Moreover, he had been chased by the police while driving in a convoy to Jalandhar.

Referring to the Khalistani leader and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, his supporters called him ‘Bhindranwale 2.0.’

As per the reports, Amritpal Singh the police is talking to his family to make him surrender in order to avoid any law and order issues.

Punjab Police on Singh’s arrest

Speaking to the media, Jalandhar Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal said, “He is now a fugitive and we are looking for him and we will soon arrest him,”

Moreover, he said six to seven gunmen of Amritpal Singh have been arrested.

On Saturday, the Punjab government launched a major crackdown against Amritpal, with police arresting 78 members of an outfit headed by him, officials said.

The elusive preacher (Amritpal) himself, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in the Jalandhar district. As the operation went underway, authorities stepped up security at several places and suspended internet and SMS services in the state till Sunday noon.

Moreover, the police launched a “massive state-wide cordon and search operations (CASO)” in the state against the members of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ group, headed by Singh, against whom several criminal cases have been registered.

Seventy-eight persons have been arrested so far, while several others have been detained for questioning, the officials said.

The police action came a day ahead of the start of Amritpal Singh’s ‘Khalsa Wahir’ – a religious procession – which was to start from Muktsar district. During their state-wide operation, police seized one .315-bore rifle, seven 12-bore rifles, one revolver, and 373 live cartridges of different calibres, officials added.

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Security tightens

Security has been tightened at many places in Punjab with intensive vehicle checking.

A police spokesperson said that the followers of ‘Waris Punjab De’ are involved in four criminal cases relating to spreading disharmony among classes, attempting to murder, attacking police personnel, and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants.

An FIR dated February 24 stands registered against WPD elements for the attack on Ajnala Police Station.