Chandigarh: A fresh FIR has been lodged against fugitive preacher Amritpal Singh and some of his associates in connection with possession of illegal weapons, said a senior police officer on Sunday.
Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Satinder Singh said seven of Amritpal’s associates have been arrested under the provisions of the Arms Act.
“We registered a fresh FIR last night under the Arms Act in which Amritpal is the key accused. All seven are also accused in this fresh FIR,” the SSP told reporters in Amritsar.
Police had on Saturday launched a major crackdown against Amritpal, arresting 78 members of an outfit headed by him.
However, the hunt is on to catch Amritpal who gave the police a slip when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district on Saturday.
Police had earlier registered an FIR against Amritpal and his associates in the February 23 Ajnala incident.
The SSP said Amritpal’s seven associates, who were part of his convoy, were arrested from a place near Mehatpur in Jalandhar on Saturday evening.
Six illegal 12 bore guns and 193 live cartridges were seized from the possession of the seven accused, identified as Ajaypal, Gurvir Singh, Baljinder Singh, Harminder Singh, Gurlal Singh, Suvereet Singh, and Amandeep Singh, said the SSP.
“We will produce them before a court for police remand,” he said. The officer said Harminder Singh was caught with a weapon and 139 cartridges.
During questioning, he told police that Amritpal had procured these cartridges through another person named Gurbhej.
Asked whether “any cross-border connection” has come to the fore during their investigation, the SSP said, “I will not be able to comment on this now as investigations are under progress.”
Asked why it took them so long to register an FIR in the Ajnala incident, SSP said “The FIR was registered the very next day. How we have to act is our internal matter. We have to act keeping in view various things and we have been successful in this.”
He asserted that the law and order situation is under control and peaceful in Punjab. “We appeal to the public not to lend ear to rumours.”
The SSP said Amritpal’s house in his native village was also searched as part of the crackdown. “Two MUVs have been recovered so far,” he said.
Rifle, live cartridges found in an abandoned car
Punjab Police on Sunday came across an abandoned car in Jalandhar district with a rifle and several dozens of live cartridges inside it.
Police seized the ammunition and said the black-coloured multi-utility car was most likely part of Amritpal’s convoy on Saturday. A rifle, 57 live cartridges, a sword, and a registration number plate were among the articles recovered from the vehicle.
The vehicle was found in an abandoned state in Salema village in Jalandhar’s Shahkot, said Jalandhar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Swarandeep Singh.
Interacting with reporters, Singh said, “The key of the vehicle was also lying there. A private walkie-talkie, a .315 bore rifle and 57 live cartridges were found.”
