6 days on, cops still clueless on Amritpal Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 23

Six days after the operation to nab him began from Harike and traversed through the hinterland in Doaba, pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh has managed to escape to Haryana. Keeping the police on their toes for the past six days, he eluded the cops at every step and have left the police with a trail of arrests, vehicle recoveries and FIRs across Jalandhar, yet no trace of him.

In Doaba, at least five FIRs were lodged against Amritpal or his associates barring the NSA case.

The arrests

While Amritpal’s Chacha (uncle) Harjeet Singh and driver Harpreet Singh surrendered to Amritsar police and were arrested by them on Monday, Harjeet Singh was booked under NSA and also for threatening a village sarpanch at Udhowal.

On Wednesday, four more people who aided Amritpal’s escape from the Nangal Ambian village village in Jalandhar, were arrested. The four men arrested from Shahkot include Manpreet Singh alias Manna, Gurdeep Singh alias Deepa, Gurbhej Singh alias Bheja and Harpreet Singh alias Happy. Manpreet, Harpreet is a resident of Kotla Naudh Singh in Hoshiarpur; Gurbhej is a resident of Faridkot and Gurdeep is a resident of Nakodar. As per the police, these four people provided the Splendour and Bullet motorcycles (recovered today) in which Amritpal escaped.

Two more people were arrested for providing him with a Platina bike to escape - they include Gaurav Gora, resident of Nakodar and Sukhdeep Singh, resident of Shahkot.

Cases against Amritpal, his aides

• The first FIR in Doaba against Amritpal and his associates was at Mehatpur for rash driving and posession of illegal weapons.
• A second case was registered against Amritpal’s uncle Harjeet Singh, driver Harpreet Singh and Amritpal himself, on a complaint of Udhowal village sarpanch Manpreet Singh who alleged Harjeet and Harpreet forcefully stayed at his house by holding him hostage.
• Shahkot police registered a third FIR on March 21 against four persons for aiding Amritpal’s escape.
• A fourth FIR was registered in Shahkot against Amritpal and four others (Gurbhej Singh, Papalpreet Singh, Bikram Singh and Shatrana Singh) on the complaint of granthi Ranjit Singh.
• The fifth FIR was registered against three persons on the complaint of Gurbhinder Singh who alleged they took away his bike on gunpoint.

Cars, bikes used to flee

• On day one (March 18), the police recovered three cars, including an Endeavour and a Fortuner, used in Amritpal’s cavalcade.
• Next day, the police recovered the black ISUZU vehcile used by him abandoned at Salema village.
• On March 20, Amritpal’s Mercedes (HR-72-1818) was recovered.
• On March 21, the Brezza registered in the name of Pappal Preet, used by Amritpal, was recovered.
• On March 22, the Platina motorbike used by Amritpal was found abandoned at Darapur
• Today, Splendour and Bullet motorbikes used by him to make good his escape were recovered.

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