New Delhi: Radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who is absconding following a police crackdown, maintains close links with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI and some terrorist groups based abroad, official sources said on Saturday. Amritpal Singh, who also issued a veiled threat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is trying to destabilize the situation in Punjab by attracting and involving Sikh youths in his organization “Waris Punjab De”.
The radical preacher is believed to be a close associate of UK-based Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda. Sources said Khanda is believed to be behind Amritpal Singh’s surge.
Khanda is a trusted lieutenant of Paramjit Singh Pamma, leader of the banned Babbar Khalsa International, who often conducts ideological training classes to radicalize Sikh youth.
He said that all the three extremists are aiming to destabilize Punjab by ideologically influencing the Sikh youth.
Khanda from Birmingham and Glasgow gives online demonstrations on how to make improvised explosive devices using commonly available chemicals.
Amritpal Singh also has links with International Sikh Youth Federation chief Lakhbir Singh Rode, who is wanted in India for smuggling arms and explosives including RDX, plotting to attack government leaders in New Delhi and inciting hatred in Punjab.
When Amritpal Singh was in Dubai, he was in close contact with Rode’s brother Jaswant.
The hardline preacher was known to ask his comrades to be armed and formed a new group called the Anandpur Khalsa Army (AKF). He said that this group is always around him with dangerous weapons.
Sources said Amritpal Singh, a transport operator in Dubai, came in contact with the ISI there.
He is believed to have been asked by ISI agents to indoctrinate innocent young Sikhs in the name of religion.
After coming to Punjab, at the behest of ISI, Amritpal Singh tried to spread the influence of his group ‘Waris Punjab De’.
Later he started a campaign called ‘Khalsa Waheer’ and strengthened his organization by going from village to village.
He stirred up the issues of Punjab and started inciting the Sikhs against the Government of India.
He said that he was successful in getting people to do what he wanted under the guise of religion and this helped the ISI to carry out its conspiracy in Punjab.
Amritpal Singh was appointed as the head of ‘Waris Punjab De’ after the death of its founder – actor and activist Deep Sidhu – in a road accident in February last year. The event was organized at Moga K Road, the native village of slain terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
A major police crackdown is underway in Punjab against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his supporters on charges of fomenting communal tension in the state.