Punjab’s Favorite Fugitive: How the Manhunt for Khalistani Leader Amritpal Singh is Reigniting Historical Tension for Sikhs

Sikhs Gather to Protest Worldwide for the Pro-Khalistan Movement (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

In the manhunt for Sikh separatist Amritpal Singh, India has cut power to nearly 27 million people in its northern state of Punjab during the week of March 13. Indian officials are worried that social media and misinformation could thwart their efforts to capture Singh in Punjab or in the neighboring state of Haryana. However, for many Punjabis, the complete internet ban is reminiscent of the extreme policies and censorship efforts India used to control the Khalistani movement, such as in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. 

Singh initially rose to fame as a religious leader for the Waris Punjab De (Heirs of Punjab) movement after Deep Sidhu, its previous leader, died in a car accident in February of 2022. Taking the reins, Singh returned to India from Dubai to carry on the organization’s mission. Singh has also been a representative voice for Sikhs during the India Farmer’s Protests and those concerned about the raging drug epidemic affecting Punjabi youth. 

More recently, Singh was accused of attempted murder after planning an attack on a local police station to free one of his affiliates. Their raid left several officials wounded, leaving Singh and his followers facing heavy police scrutiny. Singh was apprehended by Indian police early last week, but he managed to escape in a car chase, prompting the manhunt. India also officially declared Singh a fugitive shortly after his escape on Saturday and released images depicting seven possible manipulations of his physical appearance.

Additionally, more than 100 of Singh’s affiliates have been arrested in relation to the search. Some are detained under India’s National Security Act (NSA), which empowers the government to detain individuals without a charge or trial for up to a year. The NSA has been heavily criticized for allowing the Indian government to target their critics and disregard the constitutional rights of their political opponents, according to the Indian Express. The use of the NSA against Singh’s affiliates has sparked controversy about the growing authoritarianism and antidemocratic rhetoric facing the country.

Furthermore, both the Khalistani movement and Singh’s plight have gained significant traction around the world. In the past week, pro-Khalistan protestors smashed the windows of an Indian Consulate in San Francisco. In London, protestors tore down the Indian flag and replaced it with a Khalistani outside the Indian High Commission. Both the United States and the U.K. have condemned these acts of violence. 

In the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the religious minority faced genocide and violence following Hindu outrage over Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by two Sikh men. Between 8,000 and 17,000 Sikhs were killed across India. The assassination of Indira Gandhi was retaliation for her involvement in Operation Blue Star, which aimed to capture the leader of the Khalistani movement, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. After Bhindranwale was killed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, support for the Khalistani movement grew tremendously. In a similar vein, Singh has sought inspiration from Bhindranwale’s teachings, strategies, and outfits, further garnering confidence from his Khalistani constituents. Because of Singh’s reputable beginnings and leadership skills, the manhunt is further souring Punjabi Sikhs’ sentiment towards the Indian government.