An Indian Sikh separatist, Amritpal Singh, has been arrested by the police after a month-long search, according to a state police official on Sunday.
Singh, a preacher from the northwestern state of Punjab, has been advocating for Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland, reviving talk of secession and stoking fears of renewed violence. He leads a group called Waris Punjab De and was accused by the police of attempted murder, obstruction of law enforcement, and creating disharmony after he and his supporters stormed a police station with swords and firearms, demanding the release of one of his aides.
Singh was arrested at a Sikh temple under the National Security Act, which permits the detention of those deemed a threat to national security without charge for up to a year.
The arrest of Amritpal Singh and the crackdown on his supporters come amid renewed fears of a resurgence of Sikh separatist violence in India. The Sikh community, which makes up only about 2% of India’s population, has a long history of seeking greater autonomy or even independence, with some calling for the establishment of Khalistan.
