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Amritpal Singh hunt enters Day 4; 114 arrested: What we know so far
While the massive search operation to arrest Khalistani radical Amritpal Singh entered the fourth day on Tuesday, Punjab Police continued its crackdown against the Waris Punjab De.
The massive crackdown by the Punjab Police against Waris Punjab De, and chief and Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh entered the fourth day on Tuesday. While Amritpal Singh's uncle Harjit Singh and driver Harpreet Singh have surrendered before the Jalandhar police, the radical preacher is still on the run. On Monday, the Punjab government extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Tuesday noon.
What happened in hunt for Amritpal Singh in last 3 days:
> The Punjab government on Saturday launched a major crackdown against Amritpal, with the police arresting 78 members of an outfit headed by him.
> The police action comes a day before the start of Amritpal's 'Khalsa Wahir' - a religious procession - from Muktsar district.
> The elusive preacher, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district, even as authorities stepped up security at several places in Punjab.
Also Read | Amritpal Singh trained by ISI in Georgia, linked to SFJ: Intel
> Security was also tightened at Amritpal's native village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar, where his father Tarsem Singh alleged that his son has been detained by police.
> The state authorities had on Saturday suspended the internet and SMS services till Sunday noon.
> On Saturday, the police arrested 78 members of an outfit headed by Amritpal. officials said.
> On Sunday, four arrested members of the outfit were brought to Assam's Dibrugarh even as the hunt for the radical peacher and his associates continued. Daljit Singh Kalsi, who is claimed to be a key advisor to Amritpal, and three others were arrested and flown to BJP-ruled Assam on a “special flight”. They are being kept at the Dibrugarh Central Jail.
Also Read | Found bulletproof jackets, guns; Amritpal tried to form militia 'AKF': Punjab Police
> An FIR was lodged against Amritpal and his supporters for breaking through a police checkpoint and another related to the recovery of a firearm in the vehicle found in a Jalandhar village.
> The Punjab government also extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Monday noon and security forces took out flag marches at several places in the state, including Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana.
> During the statewide operation, nine weapons, including one .315 bore rifle, seven rifles of 12 bore, one revolver and 373 live cartridges of different caliber have been recovered so far, police said.
> On Monday, the suspension of the internet, SMS and dongle services was again extended till Tuesday noon.
> Punjab Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill said they have a very strong suspicion of an ISI angle and foreign funding in 'Waris Punjab De'.
> He also said a total of 114 people have been arrested so far since the crackdown has launched. He said that NSA (National Security Act) has been invoked against the five people (being sent to Dibrugarh) who were arrested.
> Gill also said after four close aides of Amritpal, one more detainee, Harjeet Singh, the uncle of the Khalistan sympathiser, was en route to Dibrugarh.
> The Police also recovered Amritpal’s Mercedes car (HR-72E-1818) from their possession. It is learnt that they were travelling in the same car when Amritpal’s cavalcade was intercepted by Punjab Police at Mehatpur on Saturday. Later, Amritpal changed his vehicle before giving the police party the slip.
> The senior cop reiterated that the fugitive Amritpal was still absconding.
(With inputs from agencies)
