According to sources, he has close ties to the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI
New Delhi:
Until a few months ago, not many people had heard of Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh. Yet he is now Punjab’s most wanted criminal, and his following is such that the state police crackdown on him has sparked protests outside Indian embassies abroad.
Who is Amritpal Singh?
The 30-year-old’s family is from Jallupur Khera in Amritsar district of Punjab. His family reportedly runs a transport company in Dubai, and Amritpal has lived there since 2012. Amritpal traveled to India and joined the agitation during years of peasant protests against the centre’s now repealed farm laws. Later he returned.
What is Waris Punjab De?
Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu, who was arrested over the peasant protests at the Red Fort on January 26, 2021, founded Waris Punjab De after being granted bail. The outfit’s stated aim was to fight for the “rights of Punjab”. Following the death of Deep Sidhu in an accident last year, Amritpal Singh positioned himself as the leader of Waris Punjab De.
changing the narrative
According to Deep Sidhu’s brother Mandeep, Amritpal’s Waris Punjab De is completely different from her eponymous outfit. In an interview with The Indian Express, Mandeep claimed that the Khalistani preacher was “misusing” his brother’s name. “Deep has been clear that talks are the (only) way, but Amritpal is clearly urging youth to take up arms,” he said.
Bhindradale 2.0
Amritpal Singh was born nine years after the death of Sikh terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in a military operation in the Golden Temple, the Sikh community’s holiest site. From style to mannerisms, Amritpal projects himself as a Bhindranwale devotee. Like the cult leader, he carries an arrow and moves with armed guards. However, the differences are many. Bhindrawale was a thoroughly religious leader, the head of the orthodox Sikh organization Damdami Taksal. Prior to his Waris de Punjab avatar, Amritpal was not of an orthodox religious background.
The journey into the headlines
The name of Amritpal Singh began to circulate after a huge mob of his supporters attacked a police station on the outskirts of Amritsar this February. Wielding swords and using the Sikh holy book as a shield, they burst in and elicited assurances from the police that his key adviser, Lovepreet Singh, who was accused of kidnapping, would be released. The incident made headlines and provided a platform for Amritpal to issue statements calling for armed rebellion against democratically elected governments for the “ultimate goal” of “Khalistan”.
Allegations against Amritpal Singh
The latest case against Amritpal Singh was registered under the Arms Act after a huge cache of arms was seized by his aides. According to official sources, he has close ties to Pakistan’s ISI and some foreign-based terrorist groups, PTI news agency reported. The Khalistani leader is believed to be close to UK-based Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda and is believed to be a key factor in his rise to prominence. He allegedly set up a “private militia” of youth from drug crime centers to be used in violent protests. The homicide centers were also allegedly used to store illegally obtained weapons from Pakistan.