NSA detention of Amritpal Singh, nine others extended for one year

Chandigarh, June 19 (IANS) The detention of newly elected Punjab MP Amritpal Singh and nine others under the National Security Act at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam was extended on Wednesday for a year.

He has been in jail since March last year.

The detention of Amritpal Singh, chief of ‘Waris Punjab De’, and three associates was set to expire on July 24, while the NSA detention for six other associates was to end on June 18.

In his first electoral contest, Sikh radical Amritpal Singh, won the Khadoor Sahib seat by 1,97,120 votes over his nearest rival, Congress candidate Kulbir Singh Zira.

For supporters and sympathisers, Amritpal Singh is the next-gen of Sikh 'separatist leaders' like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed in the Indian Army's Operation Blue Star in 1984. He also considers the late separatist an "inspiration" for him.

Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan propagator and self-styled preacher, had been running 'separatist' propaganda through speeches before going to jail.

On the radar of Central investigating agencies, he drew comparisons to Bhindranwale owing to his looks and donning a navy blue turban, a white chola and a sword-sized kirpan.