Amritpal Singh hid in gurdwara, wore western garments, escaped on bike: Punjab Police

Punjab Police issued a lookout circular (LOC) and non-bailable warrant (NBW) against 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh, the fugitive Khalistani sympathiser. Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police (Headquarters), Punjab Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Amritpal Singh, a Khalistani sympathiser, has not been arrested yet.

"We are making all efforts to arrest him. We're hopeful that we'll arrest him soon...It is difficult to say that. Punjab Police is receiving full cooperation from other states and central agencies," the IGP said.

"A lookout circular (LOC) and non-bailable warrant (NBW) have been issued against Amritpal Singh, who remains a fugitive and efforts are being made to arrest him," said the Information and Public Relations Department Punjab government. As part of its efforts to arrest Amritpal Singh, Punjab Police released his pictures on Tuesday. IGP Gill requested people to help them in Amritpal's arrest.

Amritpal Singh is seen in a clean-shaven state in one of the photos. Preliminary police investigation results suggest he changed clothing at a Gurdwara in the Jalandhar area before fleeing on a motorbike. Video surveillance footage from March 18 in Jalandhar reportedly shows Amritpal Singh fleeing the scene in a SUV. He has not yet been apprehended.

He was questioned about whether or not Amritpal Singh had left the country.

"In the preliminary investigation, it was found that they went to Gurdwara Sahib in Nangal Ambian where Amritpal changed his clothes and they escaped on two motorcycles. Teams are working, further investigation is underway," the senior police official told ANI.

He said that 154 individuals have been apprehended and detained so far. Somewhere about a dozen firearms, including rifles and revolvers, have been found. A resident of Jalandhar's villages claimed on Tuesday that they learned about Amritpal Singh and his associates' visit to the area on March 18 only on Tuesday.

Villagers near Jalandhar said they saw Amritpal Singh on March 18. The nearby residents have provided a CCTV video. The Punjab police have not made any formal announcements about this. The clip opens with a vehicle and several men waiting on a bike in a field. When the first bike, carrying three people, pulls away from its parking spot, another motorcycle, carrying two people, is ready to go as well. The vehicle in which Amritpal Singh, the leader of the "Waris Punjab De," escaped has been found by the police.

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#WATCH | Locals of a Jalandhar village claim Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh's presence in their village on March 18.

CCTV video sourced from local villagers in Jalandhar. Punjab police have not officially confirmed this. pic.twitter.com/752p6sL7n1 — ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2023

The Punjab government informed the Punjab and Haryana high court yesterday that Amritpal Singh has been charged under the National Security Act (NSA). In a recent hearing, Punjab AG Vinod Ghai informed the High Court that the leader of the Waris Punjab De is now being hunted.

The court was informed by Amritpal's lawyer that his client, Amritpal Singh, had his father, Tarsem Singh, in attendance. The court responded by explaining that as Singh's father was not a party before it, he could not be heard and that if he wanted to provide evidence, he would need to make an application.

The court case has been put off until the next scheduled hearing in four days. An updated government affidavit was also requested. On Saturday, the Punjab Police began an operation to capture or kill Amritpal Singh and his associates. The police have said that 114 people have been arrested in connection with this investigation, and that they have significant suspicions that the case has an ISI element and was funded by outside sources.

(With ANI inputs)