What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
The New Indian accesses exclusive videos of confessions by the accomplices of the self-styled Khalistan sympathizer where they admit to being drug, arms carriers
In a major breakthrough, it has come to light that the henchmen of the self-anointed champion of Khalistan, fugitive Amritpal Singh, were involved in the drug trade that has scourged Punjab.
The New Indian accessed confessions on tape where the accomplices of Amritpal Singh admitted being drug carriers. They also admitted to being carriers of arms from the hinterlands.
The confessions were made before Punjab Police during their raid around Jalandhar and Tarn Taran to nab Amritpal Singh, who is on the run from the law following the attack on Ajnala police station last month.
Earlier, in a massive crackdown on Pro Khalistani Waris Punjab De, Punjab Police arrested 78 people and detained many others while its chief, Amritpal Singh, said to be linked to Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, is on the run, it said on Saturday.
ALSO READ: Amritpal on the run, wasn’t arrested; did IPS RN Dhoke botch up ops?
The operation was led by six Punjab cops – DGP Gaurav Yadav, ADG Pramod Ban, ADG Amit Prasad, Jalandhar Commissioner Kuldeep Chahal, IPS Swapan Sharma and Gurmeet Chauhan.
A massive manhunt has been launched to nab Amritpal, who became the head of the outfit after returning from Dubai last year, and his associates, the police said.
The state police said that it “launched a massive state-wide cordon and search operation in the state against elements of Waris Punjab De (WPD)”.
“On Saturday afternoon, several activities of the WPD were intercepted by the police at the Shahkot-Malsian road in Jalandhar district and seven persons were arrested on the spot. Several others, including Amritpal Singh, are on the run and a massive manhunt has been launched to nab them,” said a police spokesperson.
ALSO READ: Amrit Pal Singh, a Frankenstein in the making
During the state-wide operation, nine weapons, including one .315 bore rifle, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver and 373 live cartridges of different calibres have been recovered so far.
The spokesperson said, “WPD elements 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.”
Amritpal shot into the limelight after hundreds of his sword-brandishing young supporters stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar, demanding the release of one of his key aides – Lovepreet Singh Tufan, who was arrested in a kidnapping case. They pushed police barricades and attacked policemen. At least six policemen were injured in the resulting clashes.
ALSO READ: Amritpal Singh’s close aide, financier Daljeet Singh Kalsi arrested
The police said that the crackdown was launched based on the FIR lodged in the Amritsar district for an attack on the Ajnala police station in February.
“All persons involved in criminal offences shall be dealt with in accordance with the law and all persons wanted by the police should offer themselves to the process of the law. Their constitutional rights to legal defence shall be protected,” the police spokesperson added.
“All the citizens are requested not to pay heed to fake news and rumours. The situation in the state is completely stable. All persons indulging in mischievous activities for the purpose of disturbing peace and harmony in the state shall be dealt with strictly,” he appealed in a statement.
Meanwhile, Internet services have been suspended in several districts of the state to avoid rumours and any law-and-order situation.
“All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking & mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall be suspended from March 18 to March 20 in the interest of public safety,” said Punjab’s department of home affairs and justice.
Born in 1993, Amritpal Singh dramatically rose to prominence in Punjab’s religiopolitical scene after returning from Dubai to become the chief of ‘Waris Punjab De’ after the death of its founder, actor Deep Sidhu, in a road accident last year.
Several reports quoting intelligence agencies said that he has been planted by Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to disturb peace and harmony in Punjab, which has been, by large, peaceful after the killing of Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in 1984. Amritpal calls himself a devout follower of Bhindranwale and dresses like him.
