Amritpal was surrounded, had no way to escape: Punjab Police

He has been moved to Dibrugarh in Assam under NSA

India Sikh Separatist (File) Sikh separatist leader and head of Waris Punjab De Amritpal Singh | AP

Denying reports that radical preacher and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh surrendered before the police, Punjab Police  Inspector General of Police (headquarters) Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Amritpal was surrounded by police personnel leaving him with no way to escape. 

Amritpal Singh was arrested by the Punjab Police at around 6:45 am from the village in Rode after absconding for more than one month.

"A joint operation was conducted by the Amritsar Police and the intelligence wing of Punjab Police. He was located in village Rode based on operational inputs by Punjab Police. He was surrounded from all sides, the village was surrounded by Punjab police," Gill told a press conference on Sunday, hours after Amritpal ended up in police custody. 

He added that police did not enter the gurudwara in Moga where Amritpal was giving a sermon to follow the sacred place's  "maryada." 

"To maintain sanctity, the police did not enter the gurdwara and since he knew that he had no way to escape now, he was surrounded by Punjab Police. The village was surrounded by Punjab Police from all sides," he said. 

The police chief added that Amritpal has been taken to Dibrugarh in Assam under NSA. "National Security Act (NSA) warrants were issued against Amritpal Singh and these have been executed today morning. Further law will take its own course," Gill added. 

Meanwhile, the police have accused Singh of attempted murder, obstruction of law enforcement, and creating disharmony. 

Gill's statement on surrender comes after Amritpal, in a sermon given just before ending up in police custody, claimed that he was surrendering. 

In a video that surfaced on social media, Amritpal was seen addressing a gathering at a gurdwara in Rode village in Moga.

Amritpal Singh 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh at a Gurudwara in Moga district. Punjab Police arrested Singh from Moga on Sunday morning | PTI

"It is the birthplace of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. This is the place where my 'dastar bandi' (turban tying) ceremony was held. We are standing at life's critical juncture. During the past month whatever took place, you have seen that all, he said in the video.

"A month back, 'excesses' were unleashed by the government against Sikhs. Had it been only the question of (my) arrest, then perhaps there were many ways of arrest and with which, I would have cooperated," he could be heard saying in the video.

"In the court of Almighty, I am not guilty but I could be guilty in the worldly court," he said. "After one month, I decided that we fought on this land, we will fight on this land and will never leave this land," he stated.

He further said he will face false cases, which have been registered against him by police, in the courts. "On the same place (Rode where he was anointed), I decided to surrender and this arrest is not an end, it is the beginning," he said.

He was also heard saying that the bunch of lies created against him will be demolished by the Almighty. 

Jasbir Singh Rode, former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, too claimed Amritpal surrendered and that he was present when he did so. He told reporters in Moga that Amritpal addressed a gathering and later came out of the gurdwara to surrender.

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'.

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