A day after surrendering to pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Ajnala by cancelling the FIR against his close aide Lovepreet Toofan, Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav declared on Friday that action is being taken against the supporters of Amritpal Singh who unleashed violence during hours-long standoff and eventually took over the Ajnala police station on February 23.
Ajnala incident | They had contacted local Police & raised doubts about the veracity of FIR. They were assured of a fair investigation. They had said they wanted to protest peacefully. Keeping in mind democractic traditions, peaceful protest was permitted: DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav pic.twitter.com/ymzZ03EkUy
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2023
“Videos of the incident are being analysed by police,” the director general of police said at a press conference in Chandigarh hours after Lovepreet Singh walked free from Amritsar central jail.
“The protesters attacked the police in a cowardly manner under the garb of Guru Granth Sahib,” Yadav said, adding that the Punjab police worked with utmost restraint to maintain the dignity of Guru Granth Sahib.
#Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav holds a press conference over the K-supporters rampage played out yesterday in #Amritsar; he said “whoever is found guilty will be punished”
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 24, 2023
He added “police personnel were brutally attacked, Punjab police will tackle this out”#TheNationAt5 | @ridhimb pic.twitter.com/ABNsrXHxBI
“The police could have opened fire and it could have led to more issues that is why we acted in utmost restraint. Six policemen, including former national hockey player and SP Jugraj Singh, were injured in the incident,” he said.
He claimed that Amritpal and his allies informed the police of a peaceful protest, but they used the alibi of the Guru Granth Sahib to break down barricades.
Adding that “appropriate action” will be taken against the perpetrators, Punjab DGP said, “As far as yesterday’s incident is concerned, appropriate action will be taken. Video footage is being analysed. SP has been injured with 11 stitches. Five other Police personnel were also injured. Their statement will be recorded & further legal action will be taken.”
As Punjab police decided to free Khalistani aide CM Bhagwant Mann said law and order is under control
Interestingly, yesterday, following the state’s hours-long state of anarchy, CM Bhagwant Mann also claimed that law and order were under control in Punjab.
Speaking at the fifth Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the state of Punjab has the right environment and peaceful atmosphere to set up factories and plants here.
Despite the assurances of the Punjab police and Bhagwant Mann, the recent events in Punjab and the “peaceful” protests conducted by supporters headed by the Waris Punjab De leader imply otherwise. It was witnessed how supporters of Amritpal and Lovepreet Toofan staged a “peaceful” protest with lathis, swords, and weapons, attacking Punjab Police officials with sticks, and breaking down barricades.
During the hours-long standoff and eventual takeover of the police station, the Punjab Police was compelled to give in to the demands of Khalistani Amritpal Singh. The Punjab Police agreed to release his aide Lovepreet Toofan on February 24.
Supporters of Amritpal Singh protest with swords, attack Police in Amritsar
On February 23, tension gripped Ajnala, Amritsar, as the supporters of pro-Khalistani self-proclaimed religious leader Amritpal Singh surrounded the Police station in massive numbers. Notably, Singh is the president of Waris Punjab De, an organisation that was started by pro-Khalistani actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident last year.
Singh’s followers congregated in the morning to hold a demonstration at Ajnala police station concerning an FIR lodged against Amritpal and associates. To impede them from arriving at the station, Police barricaded the area with additional forces from five districts. The previous day, Amritpal Singh had called his supporters to come in large numbers to the Police Station at 11 AM, where he was scheduled to appear and demand the cancellation of the FIR.
Notably, the complaint against Amritpal Singh and his associates was filed by Varinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib. The complainant accused Amritpal and his gang of abducting and attacking him when he came to Ajnala for a spiritual event. Amritpal denied the accusations and claimed that the case was registered against him and his followers on the complaint of a “mentally unstable” person who had made derogatory statements against his jatha.
Notably, on February 21, Amritpal Singh had issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the latter will have to face a similar fate as that of Indira Gandhi. “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfil his wish and see”, he said.
