Amritpal Singh manhunt: Uttarakhand police keeping close watch on Indo-Nepal border 

The Uttarakhand Police is keeping a close watch in areas on the Indo-Nepal border in Udham Singh Nagar district in search of pro-Khalistani separatist and Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh and his associates. Intelligence agencies are also closely watching the situation, as per the Uttarakhand Police. 

The Uttarakhand Police also conducted a combing operation at gurudwaras and hotels on Tuesday. The police launched a search operation across Uttarakhand after they received information from Punjab Police that Amritpal and his associates are attempting to flee the country, City Superintendent of Police Manoj Katyal told news agency PTI. 

Meanwhile, the Punjab Police has launched a lookout circular and a non-bailable warrant against the fugitive Khalistani sympathiser. Punjab IG Sukhchain Singh Gill said at a press conference on Tuesday that Singh had not been arrested yet. He added Punjab Police is getting full cooperation from other states and central agencies. 

The senior official further said that the Punjab Police has released various pictures of the fugitive Khalistani supporter in different attires. One of these pictures shows Amritpal as being clean-shaven. 

The Punjab Police IG stated, “There are several pictures of Amritpal Singh in different attires. We are releasing all of these pictures. I request you to display them so that people can help us to arrest him in this case.”

The development came after Singh was seen escaping in an SUV in Jalandhar on March 18. When asked if the Khalistani sympathiser fled to any other state or not, Gill said, “In the preliminary investigation, it was found that they went to Gurudwara Sahib in Nangal Ambian where Amritpal changed his clothes and they escaped on two motorcycles. Teams are working, further investigation is underway.”

A local villager said that Amritpal and his associates were in Jalandhar on March 18. The local added that Amritpal changed his clothes at a local gurudwara, had food, and went away on a motorcycle. Police have recovered the car in which the Waris Punjab De head fled. Weapons have also been recovered from the vehicle in which Amritpal was travelling, Gill said. 

He added that four people who helped Amritpal run away have been arrested and that the Arms Act has been invoked against the four people. These four people have been identified as Manpreet, Gurdeep, Harpreet, and Gurpej.  

Amritpal and his associates have been absconding from Punjab since the Punjab police launched a crackdown against them. A total of 154 people have been arrested and taken into custody so far and around 12 weapons including rifles and a revolver have been recovered. 

The police launched a crackdown against them after he and his supporters broke into the Ajnala police station demanding the release of his aide Lovepreet Singh Toofan in February. Singh had also threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Singh said that Shah might meet the same fate as the former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.

(With inputs from agencies) 

Also WATCH | Who is Amritpal Singh of Waris Punjab De, what do Khalistani separatists want?

Also read: National Security Act invoked against Amritpal Singh: Punjab Police

Also read: Amritpal Singh may have escaped from Punjab on motorbike, say cops