Fugitive Khalistan separatist reportedly hiding in Nepal, Indian embassy urges Nepalese government to detain him

According to The Kathmandu Post, Amritpal Singh, a Khalistan separatist, reportedly fled India and is currently seeking refuge in Nepal, evading the authorities. According to recent news from the media outlet, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has contacted the Nepalese government to request that they prevent Amritpal Singh, a fugitive, from escaping to another country in an attempt to avoid being apprehended.

In a letter issued to the Directorate of Consular Services on Saturday, the embassy asked the government organisations to detain him if he tries to flee Nepal. “Singh is currently hiding in Nepal,” reads a copy of the letter obtained by the Post.

“The esteemed ministry is requested to inform the Department of Immigration not to permit Amritpal Singh to travel through Nepal for any third country and arrest him if he attempts to escape from Nepal using Indian Passport or any other fake passport under intimation to this mission.” The embassy has also disseminated a letter containing Singh’s personal information to all relevant parties, including hotels and airlines, as he is believed to possess several passports.

This transpired on the same day when a picture of Amritpal and his friend Papalpreet Singh purportedly appeared on social media.The viral picture depicts both individuals wearing sweatshirts, with Amritpal sporting a maroon turban and holding a beverage can.

The department of immigration of Nepal has put Amritpal on its surveillance list officials said. “We have received a written note along with a copy of his passport from the (Indian) embassy suspecting that Amritpal Singh might have entered Nepal,” said Kamal Prasad Pandey, the information officer at the department.

“The Indian embassy has sent the note asking the department to put Amritpal, a member of a separatist group, on the surveillance list,” Pandey said. It was suspected that he had entered Nepal and was hiding somewhere around.

There was no immediate confirmation about the letter from the Indian mission here. My Republica newspaper has reported that the Union Home Ministry has instructed all security agencies to be on high alert in the border region between Nepal and India for two days, at the behest of Indian security officials. As per the report, plainclothes police officers have increased their vigilance in the border region, particularly in Kapilvastu in Western Nepal, where Amritpal is believed to potentially enter the country.

Since March 18, Amritpal has been evading authorities after a major operation was launched by the Punjab Police to capture him. He managed to escape from the police when they intercepted his convoy in the Jalandhar district of Punjab.