‘AKF’-branded bulletproof vests, arms confiscated from Amritpal Singh's supporters, cops begin investigation

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, March 19

The police have initiated a probe to find out whether pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh was creating an armed force and its purpose.

The security and intelligence agencies were alarmed after finding abbreviation ‘AKF’ that supposedly stands for ‘Anandpur Khalsa Force’ written on the entrance gate of Amritpal’s house and weapons seized from his supporters.

During a search operation carried out at his native village in Jallupur Khera near Rayya on Saturday, the police had stumbled upon a number of bulletproof jackets with the same abbreviation. The weapons seized from his supporters also bore the same abbreviation.

Amritsar (Rural) SSP Satinder Singh said this was part of the investigation about the motive behind creating the ‘AKF’. The police on Saturday confiscated eight weapons from seven of his supporters nabbed from Mehatpur area in Jalandhar. Majority of weapons were found to be illegal.

The police have also found several videos on social media, in which his supporters were found wearing black-coloured bulletproof jackets and holding weapons branded with ‘AKF’. The police are investigating how the bulletproof vests arrived in the village.

It could be mentioned that in an interview with The Tribune earlier this month, Amritpal had said he was not in favour of an armed struggle, but keeping of arms by Amritdhari Sikhs was a part of the Sikh customs for self-defence and to protect the weak.

Agencies alarmed

The security and intelligence agencies were alarmed after finding abbreviation ‘AKF’ that supposedly stands for ‘Anandpur Khalsa Force’ written on the entrance gate of Amritpal’s house and weapons seized from his supporters.