Timesof24
Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee
Final Up to date: March 18, 2023, 21:25 IST
Some households had come to Jallupur Khera from different districts of Punjab for a ‘darshan’ of ‘Babaji’ Amritpal Singh. (Picture: Timesof24)
Earlier than being on the run, Khalistani chief Amritpal Singh was transferring round in Jallupur Khera village in a battery of SUVs whereas his aides roamed its lanes carrying weapons, all alongside largely ignored by the police
When a person bent to the touch his toes, Khalistani chief Amritpal Singh scolded him: “Why did you contact my toes? Is there {a photograph}? Delete that image…”
This was final Monday (March 13) solely 5 days earlier than Punjab Police was scorching on his heels on Saturday. He had particularly instructed the Timesof24 group, current at his dwelling for an interview, to not shoot movies or take photos of his armed guards.
Whereas a heavy posse of Speedy Motion Drive, paramilitary forces and Punjab Police descended on the village as police continued to chase Amritpal close to Jalandhar, there was not a single cop in sight in Jallupur Khera on Monday, from the place the unconventional chief ran his private fiefdom.
Situated 40 km from Amritsar, the village has the Rayya police station close by however police personnel there had no reply when requested how Amritpal and his guards have been roaming round carrying weapons.
The slender lane to his home was straddled with CCTV cameras, which additionally coated his home from all sides along with his aides monitoring the footage inside. An armed particular person allow us to contained in the iron door of the home, duly checking that we had sought time with the chief.
There have been a number of households current inside – ladies and youngsters, who had come from different districts for darshan of ‘Babaji’ Amritpal Singh. He emerged after a while to pose for images with the guests however specified that no movies ought to be made.
After a 15-minute interview, Amritpal left for the village gurdwara, solely 200 m from his residence, in a cavalcade of SUVs. He spent a few hours there giving sermons and visiting a de-addiction centre contained in the gurdwara premises. After he left, we spoke to Sikh man from the de-addiction centre, who had come all the best way from Australia and spoke fluent English, and stated he had dwelt on Amritpal’s demand for Khalistan. However quickly sufficient, Amritpal’s supporters descended and demanded that the video ought to be deleted as their chief’s permission was wanted for this.
Timesof24 discovered that within the adjoining villages like Nijjar and Rayya, folks have been principally cautious of Amritpal and his methods. A gaggle of kids close to Nijjar, in reality, gave incorrect instructions to the group for Jallupur Khera. They have been simply popping out of a congregation within the village by a Christian preacher. An elder stated Amritpal spoke in opposition to Christian preachers, accusing them of conversion and, therefore, there was pressure within the space.
The residents of Jallupur Khera village, nevertheless, most well-liked not to talk about Amritpal however a few farmers working within the fields stated in hushed tones that the open show of weapons by the chief’s males had created a way of worry within the village.
Amritpal had returned to the village solely six months in the past from Dubai however police, until Saturday, had not taken any motion in opposition to him. Now, with the police closing in on him, he’s prone to be in jail for a very long time if he’s arrested and this interview to Timesof24 might be his final.
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