Alleged Khalistani sympathiser supporters wielding swords clash with police in Amritsar

ANI Photo

Hundreds of supporters of Amritpal Singh, an alleged Khalistan' sympathizer, on Thursday clashed with police in Amritsar after Singh's aide Lovepreet Toofan was arrested.

The protesting ‘supporters' burst through the barricades brandishing swords and other weapons, and broke into a police station in Anjala.

The protest was led by Singh who sought the release of Toofan before midnight.

Meanwhile, the police has increased security around the police station where Toofan is detained.

The late activist and actor Deep Sidhu founded a group called "Waris Punjab De". It is now led by Singh. Varinder Singh, a native of Chamkaur Sahib in the Rupnagar district, was allegedly kidnapped and beaten by Singh and his followers and a case had been filed against them.

Singh told reporters that the FIR filed against Toofan had a political motive. He also threatened to use force if the FIR wasn't dropped.

"The FIR was solely filed for political reasons. The administration will be in charge of the consequences if the FIR is not withdrawn," he said.

According to reports, Singh recently threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah, warning that he will suffer the similar fate as that of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

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On Thursday morning, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested six people, including a close aide of a designated terrorist, in connection with its cases related to unholy nexus between criminal gangs, terror groups and drug mafia, an official spokesperson said.

The arrests came after the NIA carried out raids at 76 locations in eight states on Tuesday to bust the nexus.

Those arrested include Lucky Khokhar alias Denis, a close associate of Canada-based 'designated terrorist' Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala.

Others arrested in the raids, which were carried out in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, included associates of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Goldy Brar.

Khokhar, a resident of Bathinda, Punjab, was nabbed from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan on Tuesday. He was in direct and frequent contact with Arsh Dala and had carried out recruitment for him, besides receiving funds for terror-related activities, the NIA said.

He had also provided arms and ammunition to Arsh Dala's associates in Punjab that were also used for carrying out a murder recently in Jagraon on the directions of the Canada-based terrorist.

The NIA had registered a suo moto case on August 20 last year against seven people, including Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, and Arsh Dala. One person, Deepak Ranga, was earlier arrested in the case by the NIA.