Met Bhindranwale's Nephew, Paath in Gurdwara: What Amritpal Did Before Arrest

Amritpal Singh reached Rode village late last night and surrendered on Sunday morning. Here's all that happened.

File Image: Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh.

(Photo: Sourced by The Quint)

Video producer and editor: Mayank Chawla

“I found out very late in the night that he (Amritpal Singh) had come to Rode village (in Punjab’s Moga district). I found out from the police that he was going to surrender from Rode," said Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's nephew and former Akal Takht Jathedar Jasbir Singh Rode in an early morning address to the media on Sunday, 23 April.

After a month-long chase, Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh surrendered and was arrested by Punjab police following an overnight operation.

The arrest took place in Rode village of Moga district, a deliberate choice of place which was also the birthplace of slain separatist militant Bhindranwale.

In a video message accessed by The Quint, Rode asserted, “Amritpal had surrendered on Sunday morning, after which the police took him."

Here's everything that Amritpal did before he surrendered and the claims by the police leading to his arrest:

What Happened Hours Before The Arrest?

Rode described in detail what Amritpal did in the hours before his arrest. He alleged:

• Amritpal had arrived in Rode village late at night. He met Jasbir Singh in the wee hours on Sunday at the Rodewal Gurdwara.

• After he met Jasbir Singh, Amritpal prepared his kit, washed his kangha (which is one of the five Ks Sikhs follow), wore his chappals, and got dressed.

• Then he went to the gurdwara sahib, where he did Chaupai Sahib paath five times, and sought blessings.

• After worshipping, he addressed the sangat (people) and let everyone know why he was going to surrender now, and why he hadn’t surrendered before.

• While addressing the people, Amritpal said: "I might be guilty in the court of the world, but I'm not guilty in the court of God. After one month, I have decided that I will continue the fight here, I will face all the fake cases against me here." (As seen in a purported video of the address).

• He then left the gurdwara and was arrested by the police at 6:45 am.

• After his arrest, Rode addressed the media to claim that Amritpal surrendered of his own free will. "There will be a police version on this but I request channels to not spread fake news. It's being said that Amritpal surrendered after the police cornered him, but that's not true."

'Surrounded Him from All Sides'

Meanwhile, the Punjab IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill told the media that Amritpal was "surrounded" following an overnight operation.

• Gill said that the police got inputs about Amritpal's location from operational sources.

• In a joint operation conducted by Amritsar Police and the Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police, Rode village and the gurdwara was surrounded, he said.

• He also stated that the police didn't enter the gurdwara sahib "to maintain sanctity."

• At around 6:45 am, Amritpal Singh was arrested, police said.

• "The officers first took him to Bathinda in Punjab. From there, he was taken to Dibrugarh in Assam by air," Jasbir Singh Rode stated in the video message.

He added that the police and the government are thankful that the people in Punjab have maintained peace and harmony during the operation.