The Punjab Police have issued a lookout circular (LOC) and non-bailable warrant (NBW) against `Waris Punjab De` chief Amritpal Singh, the fugitive pro-Khalistani sympathiser, who is behind recent violent protests in the state. Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police (Headquarters), Punjab Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Amritpal Singh, a Khalistani sympathiser, has not been arrested yet.
“We are making all efforts to arrest him. We`re hopeful that we`ll arrest him soon…It is difficult to say that. Punjab Police is receiving full cooperation from other states and central agencies,” the IGP said. “A lookout circular (LOC) and non-bailable warrant (NBW) have been issued against Amritpal Singh, who remains a fugitive and efforts are being made to arrest him,” said the Information and Public Relations Department of the Punjab government.
As part of its efforts to arrest Amritpal Singh, Punjab Police released his pictures on Tuesday. IGP Gill requested people to help them in Amritpal`s arrest. “There are several pictures of Amritpal Singh in different attires. We are releasing all of these pictures. I request you display them so that people can help us to arrest him in this case,” said Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sukhchain Singh Gill. One of the pictures shows Amritpal Singh as clean-shaven.
According to a preliminary probe, police said he visited a Gurdwara in Jalandhar district while on the run and escaped on a motorcycle after changing clothes. According to CCTV visuals, Amritpal Singh was seen escaping in an SUV in Jalandhar on March 18. He is still on the run. He was asked if Amritpal Singh had fled to any other state.
“In the preliminary investigation, it was found that they went to Gurdwara Sahib in Nangal Ambian where Amritpal changed his clothes and they escaped on two motorcycles. Teams are working, further investigation is underway,” the senior police official said.
He said a total of 154 people have been arrested and taken into custody so far. “Around 12 weapons, including rifles and revolver, recovered”. A local villager in Jalandhar said they got know on Tuesday that Amritpal Singh and his accomplices came to the village on March 18.”We got to know today morning when the police came that Amritpal along with his associates was here in the village on March 18. He changed clothes at the local gurudwara, had food and then went away on a motorcycle. Babaji who`s being questioned by police now had admitted that Amritpal came here,” the villager said.
Locals of the Jalandhar village claimed Amritpal Singh`s presence in their village on March 18. A CCTV video has emerged sourced from the local villagers. Punjab police have not officially confirmed this. The video shows a car and men waiting on a bike near a field. Another bike is parked nearby and as the first bike moves with three riders, the other also readies to leave.