Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], March 19 : Narrating the hot chase in Jalandhar, during which the chief of 'Waris Punjab De', now declared fugitive Amritpal Singh, escaped, Jalandhar DIG Swapan Sharma on Sunday said that two vehicles of the pro-Khalistan leader's convoy have been seized, adding that he crashed into motorbikes to divert the police.
"We were directed to nab him (Amritpal Singh). While chasing, he ended up on a one-lane link road ahead of us. While outrunning us he crashed into several motorbike riders, some were with the motive to divert us from the chase," Deputy Inspector General Swapan Sharma said.
The Punjab Police were chasing Amritpal Singh, who has been declared a fugitive by Punjab Police, to nab him and his aides.
The senior police officer said, "while interception in Mehatpur, a crowded market, the vehicle in front, somehow managed to flee. But we have recovered the other two cars of his convoy."
"We have recovered seven illegal weapons too," he added.
DIG Sharma also said that Singh changed his routes two-three times. "He was earlier at Harike, then he entered Doaba region from another flyover," he said, adding that Singh was first time seen at the Shahkot area, where he was intercepted. "But he took a U-turn from there too," he further said.
Earlier in the day, the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab, was extended till Monday noon.
Punjab Police on Saturday launched an operation against Amritpal Singh and his aides. Police later, while stating that 78 persons were arrested in the operation and several were detained for questioning, said that the Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh was still on the run and a massive manhunt is launched to nab him.
Previously the central agency sources informed that Daljeet Singh Kalsi alias Sarabjeet Singh Kalsi, who is an alleged advisor and financer of Amritpal Singh, was arrested by the authorities on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a heavy police force has been deployed outside Amritpal Singh's residence in Jallupur Khera village in Amritsar. Security has also been enhanced across the state, as per the police.
Jalandhar Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal, on Saturday late evening, confirmed that the radical leader had been declared a "fugitive".
The police action came almost over three weeks after Amritpal's supporters clashed with uniformed personnel at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar last month, demanding the release of one of Amritpal's close aides, Lovepreet Toofan.
On February 23, thousands of his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station, flashing swords and high-calibre firearms and threatening the police with dire consequences if they did not release Lovepreet Toofan, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting and abducting a man.
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