Amritpal Singh was arrested from the Gurdwara
Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh surrendered in Punjab's Moga this morning after over a month-long chase.
Amritpal Singh, who the government describes as a Khalistani-Pakistan agent, addressed a gathering at a Gurdwara in Rode village of Moga district before surrender.
He was arrested from the Gurdwara, officials said.
Moga is the birthplace of Khalistani separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amritpal Singh claims to be his follower and is known as "Bhindranwale 2.0" among his supporters.
Punjab police had received inputs that Amritpal Singh is in Rode village, officials said, adding that the fugitive preacher was forced to surrender because he knew they had surrounded him from all sides. "Police did not enter the Gurdwara to maintain sanctity. We could not have entered wearing uniform," said Sukhchain Singh, Inspector General of Police, Punjab.
He has been taken to Assam's Dibrugarh jail, where eight of his aides are already being held under the National Security Act, which allows detention up to a year without any charge.
Amritpal Singh had been on the run since March 18, when Punjab Police launched a major crackdown against him and the members of his 'Waris Punjab De' outfit.
His surrender comes days after his wife Kirandeep Kaur was stopped at the Amritsar airport while she was trying to board a flight to London.
Punjab police has urged people to maintain peace and harmony and refrain from sharing any fake news after the arrest of Amritpal.
The massive crackdown against Amritpal Singh was launched last month - almost three weeks after the radical preacher and his supporters broke into Ajnala police station with swords and guns for the release of one of his aides. Six policemen were injured in the clash.
The 'top secret' action was a coordinated effort between Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Punjab, the Centre, and BJP-governed Assam, say officials. Sources say Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had discussed the plan to arrest Amritpal Singh with Home Minister Amit Shah in a meeting on March 2.
Amritpal Singh had been allegedly leading young people towards "gun culture" and trying to divide Punjab on communal lines.
Home Ministry sources said Amritpal Singh had been allegedly leading young people towards "gun culture". The radical preacher was allegedly using de-addiction centres to stockpile weapons illegally sourced from Pakistan through its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.