Amritpal's key aide Joga Singh arrested from Punjab's Sirhind

The radical Sikh preacher remains at large almost a month after the Punjab Police launched a major crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his aides.

Published on: Apr 15, 2023, 17:22:57 IST

By HT News Desk

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A key aide of pro-Khalistan leader and Waris De Punjab chief Amritpal Singh was arrested from Sirhind, police said on Saturday. Narinder Bhargav, DIG Border Range, said that the aide, Joga Singh, was arrested in a joint operation of Amritsar-rural and Hoshiarpur police. Joga Singh was with Amritpal from March 18 to 28, according to police.

Punjab Police releases a picture of 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh's main aide Joga Singh (in yellow turban).

Joga Singh was the one who brought Amritpal back to Punjab on March 27, said SSP-rural, Amritsar, Satinder Singh. Joga, a resident of Ludhiana, was in-charge of a Dera in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

“Joga Singh was in direct contact with Amritpal Singh. He arranged shelter and vehicles for Amritpal Singh. He arranged for him to stay in Pilibhit and then return to Punjab,” Bhargav said at a press conference.

The police launched a major crackdown against Amritpal Singh and members of his 'Waris Punjab De' outfit last month. The radical Sikh preacher escaped the police's dragnet on March 18, switching vehicles and changing his appearance, and is still at large.

Two men were arrested on Friday for allegedly harbouring Amritpal Singh. The arrested men have been identified as Rajdeep Singh of Babak village in Hoshiarpur district and Sarbjit Singh of Jalandhar district, the police said. Both Rajdeep Singh and Sarbjit Singh were produced before the duty magistrate on Friday night and sent to one-day police remand.

Briefing the media on the arrest of Joga Singh, Punjab's Inspector General of Police (IGP), Headquarters, Sukhchain Singh Gill said Papalpreet was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA).

"Papalpreet Singh, the main associate of Amritpal Singh was arrested by Amritsar Rural Police from the Kathu Nangal area. The arrest was made under the National Security Act. Apart from being an associate of Amritpal, he was also wanted in six cases," Gill said.

(With inputs from Bureau)

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