Who is Amritpal Singh, the so-called Bhindranwale 2.0 | Top 7 facts you should know

A major collapse of law and order was witnessed on Thursday afternoon in Punjab’s Amritsar city when radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s supporters, carrying swords, lathi, and guns, broke through barricades and stormed at the Ajnala police station complex. It has now resulted in releasing Lovepreet Toofan, a close aide of 'Waris Punjab Ke' chief Amritpal Singh who led this Khalistani violence.

Besides, three policemen were hurt during the clash led by Singh. A large police force kept watch but refrained from taking any action as Amritpal Singh, a self-styled preacher, often described as a Khalistan sympathizer, and other protesters stayed put at the police station for hours.

Notably, the pattern he is using to "preach" seem like Amritpal Singh is trying to establish himself as Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale 2.0. Bhindranwale, a leading figure of the Khalistan movement, was killed on June 6, 1984 in Operation Blue Star between the Khalistani terrorists and the Indian Army.

1. Singh is the chief of the separatist Khalistani pressure group - ‘Waris Punjab De’ which was founded by actor and activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident in February last year. However, Amritpal Singh claims that Deep Sidhu was killed by the government.

2. Amritpal Singh dresses like Bhindranwale, wears a turban, the traditional Sikh robes and carries other Sikh symbols with him. He also gets his pictures clicked in the same piercing manner.

3. Amritpal Singh recently visited the Golden temple complex with his heavily-armed group of people called ‘Faujaan’.

4. Similar to how Bhindranwale drew crowds with the call against drugs and so-called social evils with a demand for a separate Sikh nation, Amritpal Singh is now following in his footsteps and doing exactly the same.

5. Singh also issued a threat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he will meet the same fate as that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. “Amit Shah had said that won’t let Khalistan movement rise. I had said that the same was done by Indira Gandhi and if you do the same then you would have to face consequences. If the Home Minister says the same to those demanding ‘Hindu Rashtra’, then I will see if he remains Home Minister," he told the media.

6. Reports suggest agencies are probing the possible ISI connections of Singh as they feel that he has taken over this role on behalf of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as a long-term strategy to destabilize Punjab once again.

7. The main reason behind his rise is the political vacuum prevailing in Punjab state. Taking advantage of this, the ISI is trying to fill that void in Sikh leadership with Singh taking on the roles of both a political and a religious leader.