Amritpal Singh: Arrest or surrender? Conflicting versions emerge
Videos on social media show Amritpal walking inside the gurdwara before making a brief speech and later coming out to surrender.
Even as the Punjab Police claim that pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh was arrested from Rode village in Moga on Sunday morning, villagers and people who were with the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief said he surrendered.
Videos on social media show Amritpal walking inside the gurdwara before making a brief speech and later coming out to surrender.
Punjab Police inspector general of police (headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said Amritpal was arrested after he was traced through credible information and the area was cordoned off. “When Amritpal was left with no option, he came out of the gurdwara and was arrested,” he said, adding the police did not enter the gurdwara to maintain its sanctity.”
Also read | We are relieved to know about his whereabouts: Amritpal’s family
People who interacted with Amritpal claimed that the radical leader reached Rode village on Saturday evening to surrender, and the police were informed about it in the morning.
Eyewitnesses say Amritpal came to the gurdwara in a vehicle along with two persons around 6.15am on Sunday. They said he also recited Gurbani for a while in the gurdwara before giving a speech to the people present at the shrine for around five minutes.
{{/usCountry}}Eyewitnesses say Amritpal came to the gurdwara in a vehicle along with two persons around 6.15am on Sunday. They said he also recited Gurbani for a while in the gurdwara before giving a speech to the people present at the shrine for around five minutes.
{{/usCountry}}“I have decided to surrender from this place, the ancestral village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and where my dastar bandi was done. This is not the end but a new beginning. I will be back soon. The amrit sanchaar and khalsa vaheer started by us will also be restarted,” Amritpal said during his speech in the gurdwara.
{{/usCountry}}“I have decided to surrender from this place, the ancestral village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and where my dastar bandi was done. This is not the end but a new beginning. I will be back soon. The amrit sanchaar and khalsa vaheer started by us will also be restarted,” Amritpal said during his speech in the gurdwara.
{{/usCountry}}Read | Amritpal’s arrest puts spotlight back on Bhindranwale’s village
{{/usCountry}}Read | Amritpal’s arrest puts spotlight back on Bhindranwale’s village
{{/usCountry}}Former Akal Takht jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode, who is nephew of slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, said Amritpal reached Rode village late on Saturday night. “I got to know from the police that Amritpal is going to surrender. I was with him when he surrendered. The reports that Amritpal was arrested or forced to surrender are false. Police would have not allowed him to address a gathering at the gurdwara if they knew he was here,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Former Akal Takht jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode, who is nephew of slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, said Amritpal reached Rode village late on Saturday night. “I got to know from the police that Amritpal is going to surrender. I was with him when he surrendered. The reports that Amritpal was arrested or forced to surrender are false. Police would have not allowed him to address a gathering at the gurdwara if they knew he was here,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Surjit Singh of Rode village said: “When entered the gurdwara at 6.15am, I saw Amritpal paying to obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib. Police reached outside the gurdwara after around half-an-hour. When Amritpal came out of the shrine, cops in civvies took him away in a car.”
