On 18 Feb, Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam where Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and his nine associates are currently lodged, reported a major security breach. The police allegedly found a spy camera, a smartphone, a keypad phone, pen drives, Bluetooth headphones and speakers, a smartwatch, and several other objects in the cells of the National Security Act detainees. On 20 Feb, a voice message surfaced on social media in which Amritpal says the authorities are planting hidden cameras in their cells, planting objects, and now they suspect they will be poisoned so they have gone on a hunger strike. They have asked the Panjab govt. to shift them to a jail in Panjab. Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Damdama Sahib, issued a statement in favor of Amritpal. On 22 Feb, one more video emerged in which Amritpal talks about not being heard by the District Commissioner and other instances of state apathy like what protesting farmers are facing and compares the situation with Manipur. He urges youth to assemble at the Akal Takht and start a struggle to get his associates and him to Panjab. On 22 Feb, Amritpal’s mother Balwinder Kaur also started a hunger strike at the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) gate. On 23 Feb, the SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami met Amritpal’s family and assured them of their support in bringing him and associates to a jail in Panjab. The events raise a few questions: the timing because the Farmers’ Protest is underway; why are police planting these objects which show ineffective policing; and who is releasing these voice and video messages? (SDW Vol. 1 Issue 10, Story 7).
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