High drama was reported on Thursday afternoon in Punjab’s Amritsar city when radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s supporters, carrying swords, lathi and guns, broke through barricades and stormed at the Ajnala police station complex and camped there till they were “assured” that an arrested man would be released.
Three policemen were hurt during the clash led by Singh.
A large police force kept watch but refrained from taking any action as the self-styled preacher, often described as a Khalistan sympathizer, and other protesters stayed put at the police station for hours.
Here’s all about Amritpal Singh:
• Singh is the chief of the separatist Khalistani pressure group – ‘Waris Punjab De’ which was founded by actor and activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident in February last year.
• Singh is trying to establish himself as Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale 2.0. Bhindranwale, a leading figure of the Khalistan movement, was killed on June 6, 1984 in Operation Blue Star between the Khalistani terrorists and the Indian Army.
• He also styles himself as Bhindranwale and wears a turban, the traditional Sikh robes and carries other Sikh symbols with him.
• As per India Today, he recently visited the Golden temple complex with his heavily-armed group of people called ‘Faujaan’.
• He also launched ‘Panthik Vaheer’, a month-long march on Wednesday to promote Sikhism among people.
• He is back in Punjab after 10 years and is moving from village to village in Punjab to promote his separatist agenda and talking about freedom, Sikhi, and against the establishment. Security agencies are keeping a watch on him.
• Singh also issued a threat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he will meet the same fate as that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. “Amit Shah had said that won’t let Khalistan movement rise. I had said that the same was done by Indira Gandhi and if you do the same then you would have to face consequences. If the Home Minister says the same to those demanding ‘Hindu Rashtra’, then I will see if he remains Home Minister,” he told the media.
• India Today reported that Singh has been openly favouring the formation of a separate homeland – Khalistan – while taking to his supporters during events.
CNN-News18’s Exclusive Report
Last year in October, CNN-News18 had reported quoting top intelligence sources that agencies are probing the possible ISI connections of Singh. Agencies feel that he has taken over this role on behalf of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as a long-term strategy to destabilise Punjab once again.
His dastarbandi (turban-tying ceremony) also happened with the slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad”, pointed out sources.
Top intelligence officials say he went to Georgia before coming to India from Dubai.
Singh’s frequent visits to Rode, the village of Bhindranwale, and his speech about freedom and Khalistan have become a major concern for intelligence agencies. Sources said the ISI is trying to fill the vacuum in Sikh leadership with Singh taking on the roles of both a political and a religious leader.
Here’s What Happened in Amritsar Today
Earlier in the day, Singh’s supporters staged a protest in the middle of the road at Dhilwan toll plaza in Kapurthala district when they were stopped by police from marching toward Amritsar.
Dubai-returned Singh talked to reporters at the police station, issuing an “ultimatum” for the release of his supporter Toofan Singh.
A case was registered against Singh and his 30 supporters for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing Barinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district. Barinder Singh, in his complaint, had told police that Singh’s associates had abducted him from Ajnala and took him to an unknown place where he was brutally thrashed.
Before reaching Ajnala, Singh and his supporters staged a protest at Dhilwan toll plaza after being stopped by police to march towards Amritsar. But the police later allowed them to continue with their march towards the Ajnala police station. Their protest led to a traffic jam on the Amritsar-Delhi national highway for some time.
Singh and his supporters were prevented by police at the Ajnala bus stand by erecting barricades. However, his supporters forced their way through the barricades and also managed to gain entry inside the police station after clashing with police. Stones were also hurled in the incident.
The protesters asked the police to cancel the FIR and also threatened that they would not leave the police station till Toofan Singh was released. The preacher and his supporters had also brought a vehicle carrying a copy of the “Guru Granth Sahib” for holding ‘Amrit Sanchar’ (a Sikh ceremony) at the police station.
Senior police officials also reached the police station and held a meeting with Singh and his supporters. Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Satinder Singh said a special investigation team has been formed and added that the arrested person will be released on Friday.
Singh told the media that police assured him that Toofan Singh would be released on Friday, following which they agreed to lift the ‘dharna’ at the police station. However, he said they would remain in Ajnala till Friday morning unless the arrested Sikh was released by the police.
(with inputs from PTI)
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