On March 28, Punjab Police increased its presence in district Hoshiarpur after a tip-off on Amritpal Singh. It is unclear from where Police got the information about Singh’s presence in Hoshiarpur. Earlier, CCTV footage appeared in media claiming he was seen in Delhi without Turban wearing a mask and sunglasses. In the video, a person with a long hand with a mask on his face was seen with an associate walking behind him carrying a bag. It was not yet confirmed whether the person was the fugitive Khalistani leader
After the tip-off, Punjab Police deployed additional force on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road. Reports suggest that Singh was seen in an Innova car in Hoshiarpur. The police tried to nab him, but he managed to escape once again. The vehicle in which Singh allegedly travelled was found abandoned on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur highway near the village of Marniya Kalan.
Why Singh returned to Punjab when he left the state is unclear. Some reports suggest he might surrender. Notably, his uncle and driver had already surrendered. Both of them were with Singh when the crackdown began on March 18. Later, they surrendered to the Police. An audio of Singh talking to his uncle surfaced on social media. His uncle Harjit Singh told him that they at least he should surrender to avoid any negative publicity in case the police nab them.
A day before Singh was allegedly seen in Punjab, the Nepalese authorities noted that the Government of India sought their help in catching him. Reports suggest that the Indian Government sent an official request to the Nepalese Government not to let Amritpal Singh escape using an Indian passport to any third country. It was rumoured he managed to travel to Nepal after deceiving police and agencies for days.
Kathmandu Post published a report suggesting Singh was in Nepal. It is unclear if the letter was sent as a precaution or if there were some inputs that Singh might have been hiding in Nepal. On March 25, LiveMint reported that there were inputs Singh might attempt to enter Nepal.
Sashastra Seema Bal commandant was quoted by the paper saying, “Based on inputs from intelligence agencies that Amritpal can enter Nepal, we have issued an alert on the border. Posters with their pictures have also been put up on the border in Rupaidiha. We are closely monitoring the movement of people along the border.”
Crackdown on Amritpal Singh and pro-Khalistani activities on foreign land
On March 18, Punjab Police, with support from Central Agencies, launched a massive crackdown on Amritpal Singh. The pro-Khalistani separatist leader came under the radar after taking over the late actor-turned-activist’s organisation Waris Punjab De. Singh’s pro-Khalistan ideology is parallel to what Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had propagated during the insurgency. His rise to fame also coincided with Bhindranwale’s methodology in the late 1980s.
After the crackdown, over 150 associates and youth linked to Singh were nabbed by the police. While close associates remained in custody, those who were not involved in his anti-India activities were released by the police. Furthermore, it was reported Singh was raising a private militia under the guise of drug de-addiction centres. Many pro-Khalistani groups have been protesting on foreign land, including in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada and other locations. Official Indian government establishments in these countries were also attacked during these protests.
