Radical leader and imprisoned Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh is set to step foot in Punjab for the first time in over three years. An Amritsar court on Friday granted the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief a one-day emergency parole to attend the funeral rites of his paternal grandmother, Charan Kaur, who recently passed away.
The temporary release marks a heavily guarded return for the 32-year-old politician, who has been incarcerated under maximum-security conditions outside the state since his dramatic arrest in early 2023. While the parole is strictly restricted to mourning and funeral observances under heavy police escort, the development has generated immense political interest across Punjab and national media circles.
Background of Detention: NSA, UAPA, and Dibrugarh Confinement
Amritpal Singh has been lodged in Assam's high-security Dibrugarh jail under the stringent provisions of the National Security Act (NSA)alongside facing multiple criminal counts under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
His legal troubles stem from a massive statewide crackdown launched by the Punjab Police in February and March 2023. The police operation followed a brazen incident on February 23, 2023, when Amritpal and hundreds of his supporters—many brandishing swords and firearms—stormed a police station in Amritsar's Ajnala district. The violent mob smashed through barricades to force the release of an incarcerated associate, a challenge to state authority that triggered a month-long manhunt across Punjab.
After evading capture by frequently altering his appearance, vehicles, and hideouts, Amritpal was finally cornered and arrested by Punjab Police from Rode village in Moga district. He has remained behind bars ever since, with higher courts, including the Supreme Court, previously turning down his direct petitions challenging his detention and directing him to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Electoral Victory From Behind Bars and Shifting Prison Dynamics
Despite his imprisonment, Amritpal retained a powerful and polarizing grip on regional sentiments. Contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections as an independent candidate from inside the Dibrugarh facility, he secured a decisive electoral victory, winning the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab by a massive margin.
In a related administrative shift, nine of his close associates arrested during the fallout of the Ajnala police station clash were recently transferred back from the Assam penitentiary to correctional facilities within Punjab.
Meanwhile, political maneuvering surrounding his faction continues to evolve. The Akali Dal Waris Punjab Day (ADWPD) recently made headlines by announcing Satwant Singh—the son of Kehar Singh, who was convicted and executed for conspiring in the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi—as its official candidate for the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections from the Bassi Pathana constituency. This strategic political posturing highlights the enduring influence of Panthic and radical narratives in the state’s electoral arena.