Chandigarh/Amritsar, 19 October, 2024: Punjab Police have named jailed pro-Khalistan leader and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, along with two Canada-based individuals, for their involvement in the October 9 killing of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh in Hari Nau village, Faridkot. The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between India and Canada.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav identified Karamveer Singh, alias Gora, and gangster-terrorist Arshdeep Dala, both residing in Canada, as the handlers of the four shooters responsible for the murder. “Karamveer and Arshdeep were in constant communication with the shooters,” Yadav said during a press briefing, adding that three suspects had been arrested and the hunt for the four gunmen was ongoing.
Yadav revealed that the murder was orchestrated by Amritpal Singh from Dibrugarh Jail, where he is currently lodged. “The killing was executed at Amritpal’s behest, with the Canadian handlers planning and coordinating the operation,” Yadav stated. According to police, Gurpreet Singh had once been a close associate of Amritpal during their time in Dubai and was among the founding members of the Sikh political group, Waris Punjab De. The group, established in September 2021, was led by actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu until his death in February 2022, after which Amritpal took over as president.
Gurpreet, a treasurer of Waris Punjab De, had reportedly developed ideological differences with Amritpal and had even posted several social media messages against him. Yadav confirmed that Gurpreet had received multiple death threats in the lead-up to his murder. “The group was planning additional killings,” Yadav noted, suggesting that Gurpreet’s outspokenness against Amritpal may have been a key factor behind his targeted assassination.
The DGP further identified those arrested as Bilal Ahmed, alias Fauji; Guramardeep Singh, alias Pontu; and Arshdeep Singh, alias Jhandu. According to Yadav, different criminal modules were employed for the reconnaissance and execution of the murder, each operating under separate handlers abroad to obscure the conspiracy. “The arrested individuals were part of the reconnaissance module, which was managed by Karamveer in Canada. Information gathered by this module was passed to the shooter module through handlers and ‘cut-outs’ to maintain anonymity,” Yadav explained.
The investigation, spearheaded by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Faridkot and the State Special Operations Cell, has made significant progress. Yadav said police teams swiftly collected physical and digital evidence from the crime scene, analyzing CCTV footage over a 125-kilometer stretch to track the movements of the suspects. “The meticulous analysis of CCTV footage and mobile tower dumps helped us establish leads on the assailants’ entry and exit routes,” he said, crediting the Faridkot district police for their efforts.
Yadav also revealed that mobile tower data and human intelligence were crucial in piecing together the plot. “A large number of individuals were questioned, and contact was established with persons abroad to gather further intelligence,” he added.
The DGP raised concerns over terror groups attempting to recruit young individuals for criminal activities, noting a pattern similar to previous incidents like the Sarhali blast and the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali. “These terrorist groups are increasingly targeting juveniles or teenagers, luring them with money and the promise of settling abroad,” Yadav said.
Gurpreet Singh, who had been an outspoken activist for justice in the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing incident, had distanced himself from Amritpal in recent months due to ideological differences. His decision to publicly criticize Amritpal on social media likely contributed to the threats and eventual targeting. The investigation continues as police work to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the killing.
