HT Bureau
DIBRUGARH/ CHANDIGARH, April 23: Radical preacher Amritpal Singh was on Sunday lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam after being flown in a special flight from Punjab following his arrest in the northern state.
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A senior official told PTI that a heavily-guarded convoy reached the prison with Singh, who arrived at the Dibrugarh airport around 2:20 pm from Bathinda.
“He has been kept in a special cell under tight security. A team from Punjab Police is present in the jail along with personnel of Assam Police,” he said.
The Assam Police has not yet made any official statement on the development.
A multi-tier security arrangement has been made at the Central Jail, the official said.
“The jail compound has been surrounded by Assam Police’s elite Black Cat Commandos, CRPF and other security personnel,” he said.
Dibrugarh Central Jail was constructed in 1859-60 by the British on 15.54 acres of land. It is one of the oldest and well-fortified prisons, officials said.
Altogether, nine of Singh’s associates are also lodged in the jail.
Security in and around the jail premises has been beefed up since March 19, when four members of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ (WPD) were brought here in the first batch.
Earlier in the day, Singh was arrested by the Punjab Police from Rode village in the northern state, after remaining absconding for more than a month
A few pictures of Amritpal Singh, while being taken into custody, surfaced on social media and in these, he could be seen wearing a traditional white robe.
In a video circulated online, he is purportedly addressing a gathering at a gurudwara, and says he is surrendering.
Amritpal Singh had been on the run since March 18 when a police crackdown was launched against him and members of his outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’. The Punjab Police had invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against the Khalistan sympathiser.
Several cases have been lodged against the radical preacher and his associates for allegedly spreading disharmony, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and obstructing the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
Amritpal has styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
The preacher was taken into custody at 6.45 am as he came out – in the traditional attire that included a sheathed sword – of the gurdwara in Rode, Bhindranwale’s native village and also the place where he himself took over last year as the chief of Waris Punjab De.
The 29-year-old was detained under the stringent National Security Act.
Shortly after his arrest, a video surfaced online in which the extremist preacher is seen delivering a brief address, indicating that he is surrendering.
Another clip showed him sitting before a portrait of Bhindranwale, who died in a controversial Army operation in 1984 to flush out militants holed up inside Amritsar’s Golden Temple.
Inspector general of police Sukhchain Singh Gill countered the preacher’s claim that it was a “surrender”, and said the fugitive was cornered.
“A joint operation was conducted by Amritsar police and the intelligence wing of Punjab Police. He was located in village Rode based on operational inputs with Punjab Police. He was surrounded from all sides. The village was surrounded by the Punjab Police,” he said.
He said police did not enter the gurdwara. “It was very important to maintain the sanctity of the gurdwara and police in uniform could not enter inside.”
A message was conveyed to the preacher that he had no chance of making his escape, Gill said.
Meanwhile, in a video message hours after the arrest, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said those who disturb peace and harmony in the state will face the law, and innocent people will not be disturbed.
Former Akal Takht jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode said he met Amritpal Singh at the gurdwara as the preacher prepared to surrender.
Nine of the preacher’s alleged associates are in the Dibrugarh jail. They are Daljit Singh Kalsi, Papalpreet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, Varinder Singh Johal, Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Harjit Singh, Bhagwant Singh, Basant Singh and Gurinderpal Singh Aujla. (With inputs from PTI and our correspondent)
