What triggered violence in Punjab’s Ajnala and who is Amritpal Singh?

Protesters wielding swords and sticks clashed with the police in Punjab’s Ajnala town Thursday. The protesters were supporters of Amritpal Singh, a self-styled preacher and chief of the organisation Waris Panjab De. Several of the supporters and police personnel were injured in the violence.

The clash started after Singh’s supporters entered a stand-off with the local police. Singh and his followers were demanding the release of Singh’s close aide Lovepreet Singh aka Toofan Singh.

Loveneet was arrested by Ajnala police after a resident of Chamkaur Sahib, a town in Punjab’s Rupnagar district, filed an FIR against Singh, Lovepreet and four others. The person alleged that he was kidnapped and beaten up by them. The police registered an FIR and Amritpal Singh and his five aides were booked for kidnapping, theft and rioting. Soon after, Lovepreet was picked up by the police.

However, Singh and Lovepreet’s family stated that the man had been falsely accused. Singh promptly issued an ultimatum to the police for Lovepreet’s release. "Toofan Singh has been wrongly framed by the police. The police should release him or we will not be responsible for the consequences,” Singh warned.

As the police refused to release Lovepreet, Singh mobilised his supporters and a large crowd armed with guns, swords and sticks gathered in front of the Ajnala police station on February 23. Singh again demanded the release of Lovepreet and claimed that Lovepreet was arrested because of political machinations. As tensions rose, violence erupted.

While the violence was controlled after a few hours, the crowd gathered remained outside the police station. A police force was also deployed here to prevent further violence.

“If they don't cancel the case in 1 hour, the administration will be responsible for whatever happens next...They think we can't do anything, so this show of strength was necessary,” Singh told reporters outside the police station.

To defuse the escalating situation, the local police agreed to release Lovepreet. "This chief sewadar has given us evidence that Lovepreet who has been detained wasn't there at the crime scene. Based on this he will be released,” said SSP Amritsar Rural, Satinder Singh.

SSP Satinder added that a special investigation team (SIT) would be formed to probe the case. Lovepreet was released today following the order of the Ajnala court.

Founded in 2021 by lawyer-actor-turned-activist Sandeep Singh Sidhu or Deep Sidhu, Waris Punjab De was originally created as a “social organisation” that would “protect and fight for rights of Punjab and raise social issues”. The organisation aimed to help promote and preserve Punjabi culture and rights. Sidhu aimed to put pressure on political outfits ahead of the Punjab assembly elections and was campaigning for the Shiromani Akali Dal.

However, after his death in 2022 in a car crash just days ahead of the elections, the organisation was led by Amritpal Singh. Singh was made the leader of the organisation despite Sidhu’s family and associates claiming that Sidhu had no intention of making Singh the next leader.

“My brother made this organisation for a social cause, to raise issues of Punjab and to provide legal aid to the needy, not to propagate Khalistan. Amritpal is talking about creating unrest in Punjab. He is befooling people using my brother’s and Khalistan’s name. My brother was not a separatist,” Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Sidhu’s brother, told the Indian Express.

Dressing eerily similar to militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Singh is an outspoken supporter of the Khalistan movement though he claims that he is not trying to copy Bhindranwale. “Bhindranwale is my inspiration. I will walk the path shown by him. I want to be like him because that’s what every Sikh wants, but I am not copying him. I am not even equal to dust on his feet.”

While Bhindranwale remains an immensely controversial figure to this day, even he had not spoken in support of a separate Sikh state, something that Singh has no qualms about.

"Our aim for Khalistan shouldn't be seen as evil and taboo. It should be seen from an intellectual point of view as to what could be its geopolitical benefits. It's an ideology and ideology never dies. We are not asking for it from Delhi,” ANI quoted Singh on Friday.