In a recent development at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport, authorities barred Tarsem Singh, the father of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief, Amritpal Singh, from leaving the country. Tarsem Singh, a businessman, intended to travel to Doha, Qatar, and then onto Canada for business purposes.
Notably, Singh had previously informed the police about his travel plans but was suddenly stopped from boarding his flight, raising questions about the reasons behind this abrupt decision.
This incident echoes a similar event in April when Kirandeep Kaur, the wife of Amritpal Singh and a British citizen, was intercepted by authorities while trying to board a flight to London. Kaur had moved to India after marrying Amritpal Singh in 2022.
Amritpal Singh, a prominent figure in the recent surge of Khalistani sympathizers in India, emerged in September 2022 when he assumed leadership of ‘Waris Punjab De,’ an organization originally founded by the late actor-activist Deep Sidhu.
The 30-year-old, previously involved in his family’s Dubai-based transport business, left the Middle East to lead ‘Waris Punjab De.’ His resemblance and impassioned speeches drew comparisons to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
It was subsequently revealed that Amritpal Singh had been mentored by Avtar Singh Khanda, the self-styled leader of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), with the goal of reigniting the Khalistani separatist movement in Punjab.
In late February, the Punjab Police initiated a crackdown on Amritpal Singh and his followers. Despite a month-long pursuit by law enforcement, he managed to evade capture.
Amritpal Singh was finally arrested on April 23, from Rode village in Moga district, the ancestral village of the slain Khalistani ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale. Following his arrest, Amritpal Singh and his supporters were charged under the National Security Act (NSA) and have been detained in Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail.
Recently, Amritpal Singh’s mother, Balwinder Kaur, has requested his transfer from Dibrugarh Central Jail to a prison in Punjab. She cited difficulties faced by the families of detainees when visiting them at Dibrugarh jail, underscoring the necessity of relocating them to prisons within Punjab.
The sudden halt of Tarsem Singh from leaving the country raises questions about the broader implications and ongoing efforts to monitor individuals associated with the ‘Waris Punjab De’ organization and the Khalistani separatist movement in India.
The situation continues to unfold, prompting further scrutiny and discussions regarding national security and the government’s response to these developments.