Khalistani leader on the run

New Delhi/Amritsar: Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh is still on the run from the Punjab police and a search is on to trace him, officials said. Cops have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from his aides who were arrested on Saturday. A massive operation has been launched to catch Amritpal Singh who, sources say, was last seen speeding away on a motorcycle on Saturday evening in Jalandhar.

The police chased Amritpal Singh for some 15-16 km, said the top cop leading the massive search operation against the Khalistani leader. "We had decided not to use lethal force in this operation. Have successfully arrested 78 associates of Amritpal. We chased him for 16-17 km. He took cover in a crowded place," said DIG Jalandhar Swapan Sharma, adding that the police are closing in on him.

Police have so far arrested 7 associates of Amritpal Singh, while several members of his outfit 'Waris Punjab De' have been detained for questioning. Daljeet Singh Kalsi, who handles the Khalistani leader's finance, has also been arrested in the morning from Haryana's Gurgaon.  Four of his top arrested aides have been flown to Dibrugarh in upper Assam by a special aircraft, top police sources said. They will likely to be kept in the high-security Dibrugarh Central Jail. Amritpal Singh's father has also been detained for questioning.

Amritpal Singh's car has also been seized by the cops in Jalandhar. Several dozens of live cartridges were found inside the vehicle.  A special team of the state police, comprising personnel from seven districts, had followed the Khalistani leader's convoy while he was on his way to Jalandhar's Shahkot tehsil on Saturday. The radical preacher, who claims to be a follower of terrorist Bhindranwale, managed to escape police's dragnet on a motorcycle.

Authorities stepped up security at several places after his aides shared some videos on social media claiming that policemen were chasing them and urged his supporters to gather at Shahkot. The internet suspension in the state will continue till Monday noon to prevent the spread of misinformation and rumours through social media, officials said. Sources said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had discussed the plan to arrest Amritpal Singh with Home Minister Amit Shah in a meeting on March 2. The Centre sent extra forces to Punjab before the police went out to look for him on Saturday, sources said.

The crackdown comes a month after Amritpal Singh and his supporters broke into a police station with swords and guns for the release of one of his aides. Six police officials were injured in the clash. The Punjab government had faced massive flak for the law & order situation in the state after the incident.  Amritpal Singh, who is often seen escorted by armed supporters, had been openly making statements about declaring secession from India and forming Khalistan. Officials said Amritpal Singh has been maintaining close links with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI and terrorist groups based in foreign countries.