On April 7th, the Punjab Police addressed a media report and advised individuals not to trust rumors regarding the surrender of Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher and pro-Khalistan leader.
The Punjab Police responded to a media report, stating that it was fake and incorrect. They urged people to fact-check news before sharing and not to spread rumors or fake news.
Amritpal, the leader of Waris Punjab De, has been evading authorities since March 18 when a large-scale search was initiated by the Punjab Police.
It has been rumored that the extremist preacher may surrender at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, stated that if the Khalistani leader chooses to surrender, they will assist him in accordance with the law.
Efforts are being made to ensure the safety of people in Amritsar, with a focus on managing traffic for the upcoming Baisakhi festival. The authorities are willing to assist Amritpal in surrendering according to the law. This statement was made in response to a new video from Amritpal where he denies being a fugitive and promises to appear soon. He also addressed some comments about the video.
The video is of unknown authenticity and in it, Amritpal responds to criticisms about a previous video.
The person uploaded a video where they spoke to the audience. Some people thought the video was filmed while they were in police custody because they were seen looking away from the camera while speaking. However, the person clarified that they don’t usually talk while looking directly at the camera in their previous videos.
Due to a high alert in Punjab for Baisakhi on April 14, all leaves for police officers have been cancelled. The head of Akal Takhth, Giani Harpreet Singh, has announced a three-day annual congregation at Takht Damdama Sahib to celebrate the occasion. This gathering is different from the Sarbat Khalsa, as it is specifically for Baisakhi celebrations. This indicates that the Akal Takht is not agreeing to Amritpal Singh’s demand for a Sarbat Khalsa.
In a video, Amritpal denied the idea that he had abandoned his friends and told people to stop thinking that way.
The leader who supports the creation of Khalistan and has been labeled as a fugitive by Punjab Police assures the public that he did not abandon his followers. He encourages the community to inform others that he will be attending the Baisakhi gathering to discuss important matters.
Amritpal has been evading the Punjab Police since March 18, when they began searching for him. This action was taken after his followers attacked a police station in Amritsar on February 23 to demand the release of one of his associates, Lovepreet Toofan.