High alert amid protest for Khalistani Amritpal's release at UP's Rampur

A heavy police force was deployed in the Terai region of Bilaspur in Rampur district after supporters of Khatistani sympathizer Amritpal Singh planned a huge demonstration to demand his release from alleged police captivity.

Rampur (Uttar Pradesh):Several posters were put up in support of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district. The supporters of Amritpal Singh appealed for his release. According to official sources, the posters were put up in the Terai region of Bilaspur in the district.

The protestors planned a huge gathering at Old Mandi in Bilaspur on Sunday at 4 pm to demand Amritpal's release, after which heavy police were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident. Sources said that posters supporting Amritpal were put up in many colonies in Bilaspur. The Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed in the entire area.

The police began a search operation in the streets and colonies of the area. Every suspicious person was interrogated by the security forces. According to police sources, the Khalistan sympathizer was last located in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj, which is close to the Indo-Nepal border. Vehicles entering the state are already under police surveillance.

A woman, Balnir Kaur was also arrested for giving shelter to Amritpal and his associate in Patiala. According to a senior police official, Amritpal and his associate Papalpreet Singh allegedly stayed at Balbir Kaur's house in Patiala's Hargobind Nagar on March 19. The duo stayed there for around five to six hours before moving to Shahbad in the Kurukshetra district in Haryana.

Intelligence sources revealed that Amritpal had ordered weapons to train his personal army - Anandpur Khalsa Fauj (AKF) and Amritpal Tiger Force (ATF), for which he was in touch with a retired major from Pakistan. The weapons were to reach Punjab through Jammu and Kashmir.