Fresh case under Arms Act against Amritpal Singh, aides; 4 flown to Dibrugarh

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, March 19

A fresh FIR has been lodged against pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh, who is still on the run, and his accomplices under the Arms Act at Khalchian police station in Amritsar even as four of his aides were flown to Dibrugarh in a joint action between the Centre, Punjab and Assam Governments.

The four aides were identified as Daljeet Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Pradhanmantri Bajeka. They are likely to be kept in the high-security Dibrugarh Central Jail. A 27-member Amritsar Rural police team led by SP Tejbir Singh Hundal escorted them to Assam on an IAF aircraft.

The fresh FIR was lodged after the seizure of illegal arms from seven aides of Amritpal, who were arrested from Mehatpur in Jalandhar on Saturday. Amritsar Rural SSP Satinder Singh said, “We registered a fresh FIR last night under the Arms Act in which Amritpal is the key accused. All seven aides named as accused in the FIR.”

The weapons were arranged by Bathinda resident Gurbhej Singh at the behest of Amritpal. Those arrested were identified as Harminder Singh, Gurvir Singh, Ajaypal Singh, Baljinder Singh, Amandeep Singh, Savreet Singh and Gurlal Singh. They were produced in a court at Baba Bakala which remanded them to four-day police custody.

The police have seized six .12 bore rifles along with 193 cartridges, a licensed .315 bore rifle and a .32 bore pistol along with 139 and 42 bullets, respectively, issued in the name of Harminder. The SSP said he was in possession of bullets beyond the limit prescribed in his licence. The police have also impounded an abandoned Isuzu vehicle which was used by the separatist.

A police spokesperson said another 34 arrests were made across the state on Sunday, taking the total number of arrested persons to 112. Flag marches by district police and paramilitary forces were held all over the state, he said.

Meanwhile, Amritpal’s father Tarsem Singh expressed apprehension that his son might be killed in a fake encounter. He said when the police arrested 78 persons following a chase, how could Amritpal manage to flee.

Seized weapons illegal

• Six .12 bore rifles & 193 cartridges, all illegal, seized from 7 Amritpal’s aides arrested on Saturday
• Police also seized licensed .315 bore rifle and .32 bore pistol with ammunition and two SUVs

Net shut till noon today

• Punjab Govt extended suspension of SMS and mobile internet services till Monday noon

HC notice to Punjab

• Punjab & Haryana HC issues notice to Punjab on a habeas corpus plea seeking Amritpal’s ‘release’

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