Amritsar: Indian police arrested 78 people including pro-Khalistan Sikh leader Amrit Pal Singh during a crackdown in the state of Punjab.
According to an Indian media report, the head of an organization called ‘Waras Punjab De’ was arrested by the police near Nikodar area of Jalandhar on Saturday. International Sikh organizations including the Sikh Federation UK have condemned the arrest of Amrit Pal Singh and called it a violation of human rights.
An important leader of the Waris Punjab organization has confirmed the arrest of Amrit Pal Singh while speaking to The Express Tribune. According to the leader, 6 associates of Amrit Pal Singh were already arrested by the police in Jalandhar and they are being interrogated at an unknown location.
According to the received details, the Indian Punjab Police had decided to arrest Amrit Pal Singh for the past several days, however, due to the G20 international conference, the police had stopped the arrest of Amrit Pal Singh so that the situation would not worsen on this occasion.
On Saturday, Amrit Pal Singh was detained near Nikodar in Jalandhar. According to Jalandhar Police, Amrit Pal Singh was arrested after a chase along with a heavy contingent.
Police said that three different cases have been registered against Amrit Pal Singh, including making hate speech. The Indian police has also claimed to have recovered unlicensed modern weapons from the associates of Amrit Pal Singh. Internet service was also suspended in Indian Punjab
On the other hand, there have been protests and statements of condemnation from pro-Khalistan Sikh organizations on the arrest of Amrit Pal Singh. Sikh Federation UK says the arrest of Amrit Pal Singh is a blatant violation of law and human rights. Amrit Pal Singh and his associates have been arrested without any reason and without any legal basis.
The federation said that once again the tactics of the 1980s are being used. When the massacre of Sikhs by the police was openly allowed. Sikh organizations say that they will not remain silent on this process and state-sponsored genocide of Sikhs will not be allowed.
Later, the Indian police have confirmed the arrest of 78 of his associates including Amrit Pal Singh, the situation is tense in different areas of Indian Punjab, heavy police force has been deployed and raids are being conducted on all possible hideouts of the heirs of Punjab.
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