Police Invoke NSA Against 5 Associates, Preacher's Uncle Flew To Assam In Amritpal Singh Row: All You Need To Know

This morning, Harjit Singh, Amritpal Singh's uncle, was flown to Dibrugarh in Assam as the search for the Khalistani leader continued for a fourth day.

This is a quick description of what happened and how it has developed so far.

As Amritpal Singh and his followers attacked the Ajnala police station in Amritsar to seek the release of an arrested colleague, the Punjab Police operation started on Saturday.

Close friends of Amrit Pal Singh were detained.
Uncle Harjit Singh, a supporter of Khalistan, and driver Harpreet Singh surrendered to police around midnight on Sunday.

One of the five people given the NSA, which permits the preventative arrest of anybody who might endanger public order or national security, is Harjit Singh, who authorities claim assisted his nephew in taking control of the accounts of "Waris Punjab De".

Today, Harjit Singh is sent to the Dibrugarh central prison in Assam, where the other four were transported on Sunday. They are "Pradhanmantri" Bajeka, Daljit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh, and Singh.

Sukhchain Singh Gill, the Punjab Inspector General of Police (Headquarters), informed reporters that specialised teams are working to find the preacher who eluded police during a vehicle pursuit in the Jalandhar area on Saturday.

In the Mehatpur region of Jalandhar, the driver and Amritpal Singh's uncle both turned themselves up. Narinder Bhargav, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range), was one of the officials present.

In a video taken at the time, Harjit Singh is seen removing his licenced 32-bore handgun and cash worth between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.25 lakh from a Mercedes.

Afterwards, the Amritsar Rural police seized the automobile and arrested the two guys, according to authorities.

Amritpal Singh's convoy on Saturday included three further vehicles, all of which have also been impounded. According to police, six FIRs have been filed, 114 persons have been detained, 10 guns, and 430 cartridges have been found in the operation against Waris Punjab De.

5 Amritpal Singh associates were charged under the National Security Act.
Invoking the severe National Security Act against five individuals connected to extreme preacher Amritpal Singh—whose uncle and driver turned themselves in as part of a statewide crackdown on his "Waris Punjab De" group—the Punjab Police on Monday raised the possibility of a "ISI connection."

The IG said that more inquiries are being conducted since police have a high suspicion of a "ISI angle" and foreign financing against individuals detained in this case.

Gill said that the leader of Waris Punjab De, a preacher, may also be imprisoned in accordance with the NSA.

In response to a query during the press conference, he replied, "It can be used against him after he is detained, and the rest of the circumstances will be made plain to you.

On the NSA's provisions, IG Gill stated: "Section 5 has a clause that allows for the transfer of anybody with the other state's approval in order to preserve peace and harmony in society. That was used in this case and is entirely lawful, "He declared.

He said that when searching the confiscated guns and bulletproof jackets, authorities discovered the letters AKF (Anandpur Khalsa Fauj) written on them. He said that the preacher's close acquaintances received the initials.

The authorities are investigating Waris Punjab's funding sources. According to Dr. Gill, the organisation has received minor sums of foreign financing via hawala to bank accounts.

Officers are also looking into how the confiscated automobiles were paid for since, according to the man who registered them, their owners couldn't afford them.

Punjab police's current operations
As Amritpal Singh and his followers attacked the Ajnala police station in Amritsar to seek the release of an arrested colleague, the Punjab Police operation started on Saturday.

The incident has caused some to worry that Khalistani militancy may return to the border state.

The suspension of mobile internet and SMS services has once again been extended by the Punjab government, this time until Tuesday noon. People have been advised by the police to stop spreading rumours.

It has been "withheld" from certain Punjabi users to access their Twitter accounts. According to Gill, he is unaware of this.

The IG said in response to a query on the habeas corpus petition that requests Amritpal Singh's appearance in court that the police would give the evidence to the judge.

According to him, the preacher is still not in police custody. "What we did in this instance was legal."

It is "false propaganda," according to Amritpal's father Tarsem Singh, that the preacher has connections to the ISI and has stocked up on weapons at drug rehabilitation facilities. Amritpal Singh, he said, was being slandered.

Police are organising flag marches around the state, and meetings of the peace committee are taking place in every district. Punjab is entirely peaceful, he said.

The official warned against believing rumours and false information, warning that anyone who disseminate them will face harsh punishment.

Political reactions thus far received
Shiromani Akali Dal head Sukhbir Singh Badal blasted out at the "puppet AAP dictatorship" over the crackdown, calling it a "undeclared emergency and reign of persecution and terror set free in the state".

The "excesses" that have been perpetrated against Sikh youngsters over the last few days have been denounced by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, a minister in Punjab, said he often receives calls from individuals praising the Aam Aadmi Party government's efforts to combat "anti-social groups" both domestically and internationally. According to him, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is in charge of the state and would prevent such elements from flourishing.

Deep Sandhu, a singer-activist, formed up Waris Punjab De. Following his passing last year, Amritpal Singh assumed leadership of the organisation.