Heavy deployment at Amritpal's native village

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 18

Amid the reports of crackdown against the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and his supporters, security has been beefed up around his native Jallupur Khera village in Rayya.

Though SSP Satinder Singh termed it a routine checking, heavy police force was deployed on the roads leading to the village.

Anointed ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief last year

• Dubai-returned Amritpal Singh was last year anointed head of 'Waris Punjab De', founded by actor Deep Sidhu who died in accident
• Believed to be an associate of UK-based pro-Khalistan terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda, who is said to be behind his meteoric rise, sources said
• Khanda is a trusted lieutenant of banned Babbar Khalsa International's leader Paramjit Singh Pamma, who has been involved in radicalising Sikh youths

A ‘naka’ was put up one kilometre ahead of the village, while paramilitary personnel were also deployed. Nobody, except the villagers, were allowed to enter. Mediapersons were not allowed to go to the village. Police officials were seen checking the identity cards of persons before allowing them entry into the village.

The police have reportedly detained Basant Singh, who lived in the gurdwara in the village. He looked after the de-addiction centre being run by the ‘Waris Punjab De’.

The police had surrounded the village at 10.30 am. Police teams also searched his house and those of his supporters in the evening.

A police official said Amritpal Singh’s uncle Harjit Singh and several other relatives had been detained and questioned. The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in many areas and gathering of more than five people has been prohibited.