Fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh and his mentor Papalpreet Singh once again dodged the Punjab Police in a village near Hoshiarpur town where a massive search operation is underway, officials said on Wednesday.
An Innova vehicle, with three people onboard, comprising Amritpal, was stopped by the police on Tuesday night at a checkpoint but they managed to flee in the dark, an official familiar with the development told IANS.
The police were chasing the car from Phagwara. The car was later found abandoned near Gurdwara Bhai Chanchal Singh on the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road. They fled on foot.
Police have cordoned off villages in Hoshiarpur district and are carrying out door-to-door search operations.
The police, which was on high alert, had inputs about Amritpal's movements in Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts.
A new video of Amritpal Singh and Papalpreet Singh surfaced on Tuesday, purportedly showing Amritpal walking in a street in Delhi without a turban and wearing a mask.
A day earlier, the state's Advocate General informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the police were close to arresting Amritpal Singh.
The high court was hearing a petition seeking his release, by a man who claimed that Amritpal Singh was in "illegal" custody in Jalandhar.
The Advocate General clarified that Amritpal Singh was not arrested and the police were trying its best to arrest him.
"Punjab is passing through a sensitive stage and national security is involved. As such, the arguments addressed should be limited to the contentions raised in the habeas corpus petition," he said.
After hearing counsel for both the parties, Justice N.S. Shekhawat asked the petitioner's counsel to show evidence that Amritpal Singh was in illegal custody of the police.
He said the state's categorical stand was that Amritpal Singh had not been arrested.
Amritpal Singh has been evading arrest, changing his location and looks multiple times, since March 18 when the police launched a massive crackdown to arrest him.
ISKCON condemns attacks on Hindu temples in B'desh, raises concerns for safety of all minorities
Vice President and Spokesperson of Kolkata ISKCON, Radharaman Das, has strongly condemned the recent attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh and expressed grave concerns for the safety of all minority communities in the country.
Karnataka: Virat Kohli's pub gets civic body's notice for fire safety violations
Civic body Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a notice to cricketer Virat Kohli's pub 'One8 Commune' over alleged fire safety violations.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar brings peace through meditation to UN headquarters consumed by global turmoil
Eighteen minutes of tranquility descended on the world organisation’s headquarters consumed by global turmoil as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led a meditation session as a path to peace at the United Nations.
Three Hindu temples vandalised in Bangladesh; one arrested
Over two consecutive days, miscreants targeted three Hindu temples in Bangladesh, vandalising eight idols in Mymensingh and Dinajpur districts, according to local media reports.
At minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, Srinagar records lowest minimum temperature in 24 years
On the first day of the 40-day period of extreme winter cold called the 'Chillai Kalan' on Saturday, Srinagar city froze at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, recording the lowest temperature since 2000.
Opportunity to chalk out road map for futuristic partnership: PM Modi emplanes for Kuwait
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emplaned for his historic two-day visit to Kuwait on Saturday, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the Gulf nation in 43 years.
55th GST Council meet: All eyes on health insurance premiums, ATF, 'Sin Tax'
As the 55th meeting of the GST Council was set to begin in Jaisalmer on Saturday, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the proposed rate cut on health insurance premiums and the inclusion of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) under the GST ambit would be among the key focus areas.
PM Modi to begin historic Kuwait visit today; focus on labour, bilateral ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a landmark two-day visit to Kuwait on Saturday, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years.