Himal Press 
Photo: Reuters
KATHMANDU: The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has claimed that separatist leader Amritpal Singh, who has been demanding a separate Khalistan state in the Indian state of Punjab, is hiding in Nepal.
The embassy has informed the Nepal government that Singh, who is on the most wanted list of Indian security agencies, recently left Punjab and came to Nepal, and is reportedly leaving Nepal for Thailand on Tuesday.
Singh is spearheading a Khalistan movement to create a separate nation for the Sikhs in Punjab. He has been wanted by Indian security agencies for some time and is believed to have hidden in various places in India before coming to Nepal to evade arrest.
The Indian Embassy has sent a letter to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking the Government of Nepal to arrest Singh and prevent him from fleeing to other countries.
Although Nepal Police has been quietly Indian criminals and handing them over to Indian Police without any documentation, there have also been cases where Nepal had refused India’s repatriation requests. Sucha Bassi, one of the three murderers of the former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon, had entered Nepal in 1965 to avoid his arrest. At that time, the Indian government had requested the Nepali government to search for him. Although the Nepal government arrested Bassi within a few hours of the Indian request, King Mahendra refused his repatriation. A tribunal was formed under Judge Janak Man Singh to ascertain Bassi’s involvement in the murder. Bassi was handed over to India after the tribunal found him guilty.
The Indian Embassy has urged the Nepal government to direct its Department of Immigration to take needful precautions as Singh could use a fake passport to leave Nepal. According to the department, Singh’s photograph and other details have been circulated to all the airline companies and other concerned stakeholders. Indian media outlets say Indian security personnel are on high alert along the Nepal-India border.
According to the Indian news portal livemint.com, Singh was last traced in Lakhimpur Khiri of Uttar Pradesh four days ago.
