The Punjab Police on March 20, 2023, said they were investigating the suspected role of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and possible foreign funding to Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief Amritpal Singh, who continued to evade arrest on the third day of the crackdown against him and his associates.
The suspension across the State of all mobile Internet services, SMS services (saving those related to banking and mobile recharge), and dongle services provided on mobile networks, except for voice calls, was extended till Tuesday noon to prevent any attempt to incite violence.
At a press conference, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Headquarters), Sukhchain Singh Gill, told mediapersons that six criminal cases against Mr. Amritpal Singh and other alleged WPD members had been registered so far on charges of spreading disharmony among classes, attempted murder, attacks on police personnel, obstructing police work, and creating disaffection. Provisions of the National Security Act have also been invoked against five accused persons.
Since March 18, the police have arrested 114 people. They have also seized 10 weapons, including nine rifles, along with more than 400 live rounds of ammunition. Mr. Amritpal Singh’s uncle Harjit Singh and his driver were arrested in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Four vehicles, one of which was being used by the WPD chief and was found abandoned in the Salina village of rural Jalandhar’s Mehatpur, have been impounded so far.
The Punjab Police are coordinating with their counterparts in other States and Central agencies to prevent any possible bid by Amritpal Singh, the main fugitive, to flee the country.
Preliminary police findings suggest that funds were being provided to the outfit’s members in small quantities. As it turned out, the on-paper owners of the impounded vehicles were financially not very well-off, raising suspicions over the source of money. The investigators are also trying to determine the exact reason behind the formation of the Anandpur Khalsa Force (AKF) by Mr. Amritpal Singh.
The unit’s members carried weapons and wore bulletproof vests bearing the acronym ‘AKF’ acronym, which was also found written on the entrance gate to Mr. Amritpal Singh’s residence in Amritsar’s Jallupur Khera village.
While four detainees, identified as Daljit Singh Kalsi, Gurmeet Singh, Basant Singh and Bhagwant Singh, were earlier sent to Assam on board a special flight and lodged in a jail in Dibrugarh, Mr. Amritpal Singh’s uncle was also taken there on Monday.
Stating that there was no law and order problem in the State, Mr. Gill said that to ensure peace, flag marches were being carried out across Punjab, and district peace committee meetings held. The police have cautioned against spreading rumours or fake news, warning that stringent action would be taken against those involved.
As a preventive measure, about 65 Twitter accounts were suspended days ahead of the clamp-down. Subsequently, many more Twitter accounts have been withheld temporarily in India, including that of MP Simranjit Singh Mann and two Punjab-based journalists.
