[Fresno News Bureau]
SELMA, CA: Father of one of the arrested Sikh militants blames the Indian police for fabricating the facts regarding the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Mr. Gurmit Singh of Surrey, B.C. , father of Amarjit Singh alias “Amba”, resents that the Indian police concocted the story in or der to implicate his son for his Involvement in militant activities in Punjab. Mr. Amarjit Singh reported that his son left India eight years ago and settled in Auckland, New Zealand. According to him, Amba fled India after the Indian police started chasing him simply for the rea son that he was a devout young Sikh. “Now how a person can indulge in pro Khalistan activities and commit crime in Punjab when he was not even in the country” questioned, Amarjit Singh.
He categorically refuted Indian police’s assertion that Amba along with Balwinder Singh alias Billa were arrested at New Delhi airport while trying to flee the country. Contrary to that Mr. Singh reported that his son recently came to Pakistan to visit Sikh holy shrines and was planning to return back to New Zealand. While in Pakistan he met with his old friend namely Billa. On August26, both of them took a flight from Karachi to Kathmandu en route to New Zealand. However, somebody tipped off Indian Intelligence. Immediately after they came out of the plane at Khatmandu airport, raking Indian intelligence agents scoffed over them. They were blindfolded and tortured until September 5th when they were acid at New Delhi airport.
Amba’s younger brother who prefers to stay anonymous and is settled in central California admits that his brother used to be active in All India Smdent Sikh Federation politics and was president of the Gurdwara at Jandiala village in Jalandhar district. After fleeing India he organized Sikh Youth Federation of New Zealand. Currently both Amba and Billa are being held at Kharar police station under police remand. Amba’s Attorney Mr. Naukiran Singh who visited them at Kharar police station reported that both of them were in good spirits. Angry Gurmit Singh appealed to the Punjab Human Rights Group and other organizations to expose Indian fabrications and bring out the truth. Billa’s uncle Manjit Singh Kamana was killed by security forces four years ago. According to Indian police both Amba and Billa are considered close associates of Paramjit Singh Panjwar chief of Khalistan Commando Force.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1996
