Radical preacher Amritpal’s aide Lovepreet released from Amritsar jail

Amritsar/chandigarh: Radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s aide and kidnapping accused Lovepreet Singh ‘Toofan’ walked out of jail here Friday, a day after hundreds of protesters stormed a police station demanding his release. Lovepreet Singh was released from the Amritsar Central Jail, hours after a court in Ajnala issued orders to discharge him from custody based on an application by the police.

On Thursday, Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh’s supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the Amritsar city, extracting an assurance from the police that Lovepreet Singh will be released. The Punjab Police then moved an application before the court for discharging Lovepreet Singh on the grounds that the investigation found that he was not present at the spot when the offence was committed. Lovepreet Singh was welcomed by the supporters when he walked out of the jail. Earlier, after the court issued its order, Amritpal Singh told reporters that the release of his aide was “Victory of the Panth. He was put in jail in a false case,” alleged Singh.

Dubai-returned Amritpal Singh, who heads an organisation called ‘Waris Punjab De’, had Thursday talked to reporters at the police station, issuing an “ultimatum” for the release of Lovepreet Singh.

In its order, the court said, “Since the accused is no more required by the investigating officer for judicial custody, accordingly, accused Lovepreet Singh is discharged from the custody only and be released”.

“It is made clear that the accused Lovepreet Singh..is discharged from custody. A direction is issued to the SHO concerned to conduct investigation in the case and submit its report. Necessary intimation be sent to Superintendent of Jail, Amritsar, in this regard,” Manpreet Kaur, Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Ajnala, said in her order.

Meanwhile, a day after supporters of preacher and Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh stormed a police station, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Friday said the demonstrators had used the holy Guru Granth Sahib as a shield and attacked police personnel in a cowardly manner. “The demonstration was permitted when under the cover of Palki Sahib of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, police were attacked in a cowardly manner,” he said, adding six personnel were injured.

“Police acted with utmost restraint due to the maryada of Guru Granth Sahib and preserved it. Had police opened fire, it would have led to more issues. We have acted with restraint on account of presence of the holy Guru Granth Sahib,” he said.

Asked if a case has been registered in connection with Thursday’s violence in Ajnala, Yadav said video footage of the same was being analysed and the statement of injured police personnel will be recorded when they are medically fit. He said appropriate legal action will be taken against the culprits.