Haryana Police nab woman who harboured Amritpal

Haryana Police said the woman nabbed from Shahabad in Kurukshetra district has been identified as Baljit Kaur

Chandigarh: Haryana Police have nabbed a woman who allegedly harboured Amritpal Singh and his associate Papalpreet Singh at her home in the state’s Kurukshetra district, an official said on Thursday.

In another development, Punjab police said they have arrested a man who was allegedly part of the private security setup of the radical preacher. Tejinder Singh Gill, a resident of Mangewal village in the Khanna area of Ludhiana district, was deputed in the security of Amritpal Singh.

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Haryana Police said the woman nabbed from Shahabad in Kurukshetra district has been identified as Baljit Kaur.

“We have nabbed the woman, who harboured Amritpal and his associate Papalpreet Singh at her home in Shahabad on Sunday. The woman has been handed over to Punjab Police,” Kurukshetra Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria told PTI over phone. He also said the woman knew Papalpreet Singh for over two years.

Officials have said Papalpreet Singh is considered one of Amritpal Singh’s mentors and had been working closely with the radical preacher. He was seen driving the motorcycle on which Amritpal Singh rode pillion while escaping the police crackdown on his outfit on Saturday.

The two-wheeler was found abandoned near a canal in Jalandhar. Photographs and CCTV footage, that have emerged on social media, have shown the fugitive using several vehicles, including a Mercedes, a Brezza SUV, an Isuzu pick-up, a motorbike and a motorized cart, to escape with some of his aides.

Punjab Police said efforts are on to nab the fugitive preacher and several of his aides and members of his outfit have been detained or arrested.

They said Gill, who was part of the security setup of Amritpal Singh, used to display weapons in pictures and videos on social media without having an arms licence. An FIR against him was registered under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Officials said their investigation has revealed that Gill was also involved in the Ajnala incident and Ajnala police will separately take action against him.

A number of supporters of Amritpal Singh had stormed the Ajnala police station near Amritsar with swords and guns last month to secure the release of an associate of the radical preacher, raising fears about the return of pro-Khalistan militancy to the state that borders Pakistan.