Amritpal's uncle, driver surrender, NSA invoked

CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR: The uncle and driver of absconding separatist leader Amritpal Singh surrendered to Punjab Police in the early hours of Monday as authorities extended a mobile internet ban and continued a massive manhunt across the state in a bid to nab the radical pro-Khalistan leader.

- Ravinder Vasudeva and Navjrajdeep Singh

With the operation against the 30-year-old Waris Punjab De chief entering its third day, police invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against four alleged aides of Singh, who were arrested on Sunday and sent to Assam for interrogation. Police also charged Singh's uncle Harjit Singh under the NSA and sent him to Dibrugarh where he has been lodged in Central Jail.

"We have a very strong suspicion of an ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) angle, based on the facts and circumstances that have come to light so far. We also have a very strong suspicion of foreign funding. Going by the circumstances, it seems that ISI is involved and there is foreign funding as well," Punjab inspector general of police Sukhchain Singh Gill said in a press conference.

The crackdown on Singh and his supporters began on Saturday when a police cavalcade intercepted his car near Mehatpur town when he was on his way to Bathinda to address a gathering. But Singh changed vehicles and managed to evade arrest, officials familiar with the developments said.

Since then, Gill said, 114 people have been arrested. "Of them, 78 were arrested on the first day, 34 on the second and two others were arrested last night [on Monday]. Ten weapons have also been recovered," he said.