The Assam police have strengthened the security of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following a threat from a banned Khalistan outfit. A caller claiming to be supporter of the pro-Khalistan leader, Amritpal Singh and his “Waris Punjab De” organisation lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, alleged that the latter was being tortured in captivity along with his nine associates. The caller said that the Chief Minister would face dire consequences if the ten Sikhs who are on hunger strike, die in jail.
Amritpal Singh was arrested by the Punjab Police under the National Security Act in April 2023, and was transported to the state of Assam on a special flight. The other nine also booked under the NSA were arrested and sent to the same jail later.
The caller said “Amritpal Singh and his associates are on a hunger strike in Dibrugarh jail. Order the shifting of Amritpal and his associates to Amritsar jail or face the consequences. The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) are filing a complaint in the United Nations against India,” the caller said.
“If any of the Singhs in Dibrugarh Jail attains “Shahidi” (martyrdom), CM Sarma, you will face the consequences. And pro-Khalistan Sikhs take their enemies to the grave. This message is from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)” the caller said.
Speaking to media persons, Sarma said, “Why Should you be so afraid of Khalistanis? You seem to be more frightened than me for whom the threat was meant.”
The Chief Minister brushed the threat aside, but Assam’s Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh said his force was taking it seriously. “We have strengthened the security after this threat came to our notice. We have assessed the risks and have written to all the DGPs and Central Agencies to provide the Chief Minister with security as per the threat since he travels extensively,” the DGP said.
Similar threats were made by to the CM in April 2023. A case was registered by the Asam Police for relevant charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities Preventive Act 1967.
Pannun lives in the US and is associated with the Sikhs for Justice which is a designated terrorist organization in India. We are taking the threats seriously,” he added. On February 17, 2024, the staff of Dibrugarh jail detected a major security breach in the NSA Cell where Amritpal is lodged with nine of his associates. The Jail Staff recovered a smartphone with SIM, a keypad phone, a TV remote with a keyboard, a spy cam pen, pen drives, Bluetooth headphones, speakers and a smartwatch during a search.
