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Chandigarh: Out of 360 people detained during the police action against Amritpal Singh, 348 have now been released. Punjab government has given this information to Akal Takht, the highest religious organization of Sikhs. Jaspal Singh, personal secretary of radical preacher Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, said on Thursday that a message has been received from the state government that the rest will also be released soon. It is significant that Amritpal Singh has not been caught till now.
Earlier this week, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh gave an ultimatum to the Punjab government to release all Sikh youths caught during the police crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his associates. The Jathedar also criticized the state government for registering cases under the National Security Act against some people during the police action.
A few days before the Jathedar’s ultimatum, the Punjab Police had said that about 30 of those detained were notorious criminals, while the rest would be released after investigation. Meanwhile, police have beefed up security in Amritsar and Bathinda and its surrounding areas, as Amritpal Singh may surrender after entering the Golden Temple in Amritsar or Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.
Police started action against Amritpal on March 18 and since then he is absconding. But last Wednesday he appeared in a video. In the latest video, Amritpal Singh is seen urging the Jathedar of Akal Takht to hold a ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ (a conference to discuss issues related to the Sikh community).
Amritpal asked the community members to participate in large numbers. He said in his appeal, ‘If we have to save the youth and Punjab, then we should become a part of Sarbat Khalsa. We know the path we are on, we have to face it all. It is our duty to raise our voice against it.”
