Haryana Police announced on Friday (24) that they have increased surveillance throughout the state and put their personnel on high alert, following the discovery of radical preacher Amritpal Singh's last known location in the Kurukshetra district.
However, the whereabouts of Amritpal and his associate Papalpreet Singh are still unknown, despite reports that they were being harboured by a woman at her residence in Shahabad on Sunday, March 19.
A senior official from the Punjab police stated on Thursday said that they promptly alerted other states as soon as they learned of Amritpal's departure from Punjab.
Haryana's Additional DGP (Law and Order), Mamta Singh, confirmed on Friday that there has been no further information regarding Amritpal's movements after leaving Shahabad.
"So far, there is no other input. However, we are on alert and keeping a watch," Singh told PTI over the phone.
Baljit Kaur, who allegedly sheltered Amritpal Singh and his associate in Kurukshetra district, was arrested on Thursday (23) and is being interrogated by Punjab police.
CCTV footage of Singh, dressed in shirt and trousers and holding an umbrella to avoid detection, was released on Thursday in Shahabad, Haryana.
Another video, allegedly from March 20, also showed the radical preacher carrying an umbrella near the Shahabad bus stand.
In a separate incident, the driver of the cart in which Amritpal and Papalpreet were seen sitting in, claimed that they asked him to take them to a tyre repair shop in Jalandhar as their bike's tyre had punctured, and that he was unaware of their radical beliefs at the time.
Last month, Singh and his supporters, some of whom were armed with guns and swords, broke through barricades and stormed the Ajnala Police Station on the outskirts of Amritsar to free one of the preacher's associates, resulting in a clash with the police.
Additionally, last week, the Punjab Police initiated a crackdown against Singh and members of his group, "Waris Punjab De."
Despite being intercepted by the police in Jalandhar, Singh managed to evade capture and has since changed his appearance, donning western clothing and sunglasses, and using various modes of transportation.
(With inputs from PTI)
FILE PHOTO: Floral tributes are laid following a vigil for the victims of the knife attack in Southport, Britain July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja
