Punjab cops using drone to hunt Amritpal

Security personnel stand guard, in Hoshiarpur, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

Police on Thursday deployed a drone in a village in Hoshiarpur district where some suspects had abandoned their car following a chase two days ago, as radical preacher Amritpal Singh remained untraceable.

Cops deployed in and around Marnaian village were also checking vehicles in the search of the radical preacher. With police resuming their search in the area, they deployed a drone in the village, sources said. There was, however, no official comment on it from the police. Paramilitary personnel have also been deployed in and around the village.

348 held freed: Govt

The Punjab government has informed the Akal Takht that 348 of the 360 people taken into preventive custody during a police crackdown against Amritpal have now been freed. Jaspal Singh, the personal secretary of Akal Takht Jathedar (head), on Thursday said a message was received from the state government that the rest would also be released soon.

Also read: Close to catching 'radical preacher' Amritpal Singh, Punjab govt tells high court

Earlier this week, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had given an ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths. He had also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few people. In a video released on Wednesday, Amritpal urged the Akal Takht to summon a "sarbat khalsa" - a congregation of Sikhs to discuss issues concerning the community.

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