Intelligence agencies say Amritpal Singh is getting weapons from Pakistan. (File)
New Delhi:
Radical preacher Amritpal Singh, on the run since March 18, was taken to Dibrugarh Central Jail just hours after surrendering to Punjab police on Sunday. Eight of his assistants are already incarcerated at the maximum-security prison, which is one of the oldest and highest-security prisons in the Northeast.
The reason why Amritpal Singh and his aides have been taken to the other end of the country is that North Indian prisons are more likely to have gangsters associated with him or the separatist movement, sources said.
The language barrier is another reason to prevent the accused from interacting with other inmates and prison staff, sources said, adding that Dibrugarh is a very safe prison. In addition, the local Sikh community is not sympathetic to the Khalistan movement, they said.
Dibrugarh Prison has never had a major escape incident in its nearly 170-year history, furthering its reputation as a highly secure prison. The prison’s location in the center of Dibrugarh city is also an advantage for authorities to stop escape attempts, sources added, as opposed to a location on the outskirts of the city or remote areas.
Security around the prison building has been strengthened since March 19, when four members of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ (WPD) were brought in. Now the prison reportedly has 24-hour security on three levels.
“The prison is surrounded by the elite Black Cat Commandos, CRPF and other security personnel of the Assam Police,” an official told PTI news agency.
In addition, local media reports claim that new CCTV cameras have been installed for the cells containing Amritpal Singh’s assistants, and that faulty cameras have also been repaired or replaced.
A heavily guarded convoy reached Bhatinda Jail with Amritpal Singh from Dibrugarh airport around 2:20 pm today. Officials told PTI that a multi-layered security arrangement has been put in place at the central prison.
Built by the British in 1860, the prison has a population of 680 prisoners, according to the bi-weekly prison population data released by the government of Assam. Dibrugarh Jail is currently the third most populated central jail in the state, surpassed only by the central jails in Guwahati and Tezpur. Dibrugarh Central Jail was historically also the center of the ULFA insurgency in Assam and several of the group’s top leaders were imprisoned there.
Earlier on Sunday, the Inspector General of Punjab Police Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Amritpal Singh would be taken to Dibrugarh under the National Security Act (NSA).
Intelligence agencies say Amritpal Singh has obtained weapons from Pakistan through his Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency and is trying to divide Punjab through common lines. Amritpal Singh is said to have led young people to “gun culture”.
He and his associates were charged with several criminal charges related to spreading class dissension, attempted murder, assaults on police personnel, and obstruction of lawful duties by officials.
