NEW DELHI: A day after the Ajnala episode, the Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav said that action is being taken against protesters who attacked police personnel. While talking to the media, Yadav informed that video footage of the incident is being analysed and stated that protesters used Palki sahib to shield themselves and said it was a cowardly act.
“The demonstration was permitted when under the cover of Palki Sahib of Sri Guru Granth Sahibji, police were attacked in a cowardly manner,” Yadav said. Six police personnel were injured. “Police acted with utmost restraint due to the Maryada of Guru Granth Sahib and preserved it. Had police opened fire, it would have led to more issues. We have acted with restraint on account of the presence of the holy Guru Granth Sahib,” DGP Punjab added.
This statement came at a time when Amritpal’s aide Lovepreet Singh Toofan was released from the police station. Lovepreet was arrested by police on an alleged complaint by Chamkaur Sahib resident Varinder Singh, who accused Amritpal and his aides of kidnapping and beating him.
On 23 February in the morning, Amritpal Singh began a protest towards Ajnala, from his native village Jallupur Khera, in Amritsar. The police installed barricades to stop Amritpal Singh and his sympathisers from entering the vicinity of the police station, but soon radicals with swords and sticks attacked police personnel, which were outnumbered by Singh’s supporters and the situation went out of control for the administration. A total of six police persons, including DSP, were injured.
Later, Ajnala police succumbed to Amritpal’s demand and agreed to release his aide Lovepreet Singh. Police also promised to form SIT to probe the FIR to verify Amritpal’s claims that the case against him and his supporters were registered on false grounds. Amritsar Rural’s Superintendent of Police Satinder Singh told reporters that the Amritpal side has given evidence, according to which Lovepreet Singh Toofan was not present at the spot, referring to the alleged kidnapping incident. According to Amritpal Singh, Varinder Singh, who alleged Amritpal and his aides of Kidnapping and beating him is “mentally unstable”. But the Thursday episode has tainted the law-and-order situation in the state.
Who is Amritpal (Bhindranwala 2.0)?
Amritpal Singh Sandhu, also called Amritpal Singh Khalsa (29), is a Khalistan ideologue and head of Waris Punjab de (meaning the inheritors of Punjab), a group set up by actor Deep Sidhu, who died in February last year. According to various reports, Sandhu came from Dubai and for the last ten years, he was living there. According to Amritpal, he came back to Punjab to save the religion. Amritpal styles like Bhindranwale and walks with a group of armed bodyguards. This has made Sikh preacher Amritpal resemble Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Later, this week Amritpal Singh issued a threat to Home Minister Amit Shah and said that Shah will have a similar fate as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This came after Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement where he said that the government is closely monitoring Khalistani activities and won’t let them flourish within India.
“Khalistan movement cannot be suppressed from flourishing. Indira Gandhi made an attempt to suppress the voice which resulted in Operation Blue Star, 10 years of militancy in Punjab and everyone knows what happened next. Either the government can take this as a warning or a request. Nobody can take away our rights, be it Indira, PM Modi or Amit Shah,” said Amritpal Singh.