Latest news with #AmritpalSingh
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjabi youth trapped in Iran: Rescued from traffickers, now amid conflict
By Harpreet Kaur , Hoshiarpur Jun 21, 2025 04:44 PM IST Out of the frying pan into the fire. This idiom describes the condition of the three Punjabi youth who were rescued by the Iranian police from the clutches of human traffickers but are now forced to live in the strife ridden country as the Indian government has so far not been able to arrange their safe return. The family of Bhagowal resident Amritpal Singh has lost touch with him after tension accelerated between Iran and Israel. (iStock) The family of Bhagowal resident Amritpal Singh has lost touch with him after tension accelerated between Iran and Israel. 'After the Israel attack, he was very scared. He told us that they were being shifted to a safer place but for the last three-four days, we have not heard from him which has left us worried', said Amritpal's uncle Gurdev Singh. 'We are told that the war like situation has hampered the diplomatic process for their repatriation but any delay will put their lives at a greater risk', he added. 'It is good that the government is making efforts for safe return of its other citizens from Iran. It should also bring our children back', said Gurdip Kaur, Amritpal's mother. Amritpal and two other youth from Nawanshahr and Sangrur, had paid hefty sums to travel agents of Hoshiarpur to go to Australia in search of work but they were made to travel to Iran where three of them were abducted on May 1 by alleged human traffickers who demanded ransom from their families. After diplomatic intervention, the Iran police rescued them earlier this month but since then they are in police custody. The travel agents are still at large.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Bathinda cyclist conquers Africa: 10,856 km in 221 days
Bathinda: A farmer from Bathinda's Ghudda village, Amritpal Singh , known as Ghudda Singh, has achieved an extraordinary feat, cycling 10,856 km across 11 African countries in 221 days. His journey, spanning nearly eight months, saw him traverse diverse and often challenging terrains, including jungles, mountains, and deserts. The 34-year-old farmer, who shares 12 acres of land with his brother, embarked on his African adventure on Oct 1, 2024, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He concluded his ride on June 11, 2025, at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, marking 221 days and 10,856km on his bicycle. He normally covered 40 to 100 km daily, adjusting his distance based on the terrain. His route took him through Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. He trekked to and from Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa's highest peak, during his expedition. Ghudda Singh's main motivation for choosing Africa was to challenge prevailing misconceptions about the continent. "I wanted to tap the less tapped places and wanted to break the myth about African countries," he told TOI upon his return. He described countries like Rwanda as "very beautiful and clean", citing its strict plastic ban, and highlighted Botswana as "the land of elephants". His experience, according to him, far exceeded his initial perceptions. This African expedition is not Ghudda Singh's first long-distance cycling venture. In 2022, he cycled across six Middle Eastern countries – Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait – over four months with a friend. His passion for cycling began about five years ago with local rides in Punjab, evolving into cross-India tours, including the Northeast and Leh. "For my extensive journeys, I invested in a durable, USA-manufactured Surly bicycle, costing Rs 2 lakh," he said. Married with an eight-year-old daughter who shares his interest in travel, Ghudda Singh now eyes Europe for his next cycling adventure after spending time with his family. Villagers describe him as a "multifaceted personality" – a cyclist, writer, and vlogger who has experienced the world firsthand. BOX Discovering Punjabi heritage Beyond personal accomplishment, Ghudda Singh used his journey to document his experiences through vlogs and explore the history and culture of Punjabis in Africa. He discovered that Punjabis were brought to Kenya as early as 1890 for railway construction and, through hard work, established major businesses and became skilled workers across the continent. "Punjabis have vast farms running into hundreds and thousands of acres in various countries, cultivating maize, sugarcane, and wheat, and have even set up industries. Some take bicycles from Ludhiana to sell there," he said, adding that he came across no Punjabi in labourer-type jobs. MSID:: 121972952 413 |
Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘We just want them home': Punjab families await return of their sons amid escalating Israel-Iran tensions
Amid an open conflict between Israel and Iran, a wave of fresh anxiety has swept through three villages in Punjab. The families of Husanpreet Singh (27), Amritpal Singh (23), and Jaspal Singh (32)— who were kidnapped in Iran while attempting to migrate to Australia — are clinging to hope, even as fears grow over their safe return from a region now gripped by military chaos. Even as the families said that they trust the Indian government, which has assured them of the men's safe return, their fears have intensified with Iran now embroiled in a full-blown tension. The three men, who hail from Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, were missing for weeks after falling victim to a transnational human trafficking ring. Having paid Rs 18 lakh each to travel agents based in Hoshiarpur who had promised a legal entry to Australia, their journey was derailed in Tehran, where they were kidnapped, beaten, and held for ransom. Manpreet Singh, cousin of 27-year-old Husanpreet Singh from Dhuri who received a phone call from an Iranian number on June 3, said, 'Can't explain in words, it was such a big relief when he first called saying he is safe now. He said that the Indian authorities have rescued them and they were now being taken to the embassy.' He started calling us daily after that saying that the formalities for their return were being completed. And now, with news of fresh tension, we are very worried.' Yudhvir Singh, cousin of 23-year-old Amritpal Singh said, 'We waited through silence, torture videos, and ransom threats. Now we wait through the Israel-Iran tension. They told us then that they are now safe,' he added. Ashok Kumar, brother of Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar, added that Jaspal had told him last week that it would take at least a week for them to return. 'But now this conflict has added a new layer. We saw the news about how Israeli forces struck multiple Iranian facilities, and how Iran has responded with attacks on Israel,' he said. He added, 'Jaspal told us that due to their prolonged stay in Tehran after the kidnapping, new travel documents are being prepared. This process has caused delays; otherwise, they would have returned by now, as they were rescued by Iranian police on the evening of June 3. It has now been 10 days since their rescue.' What began in April as a dream migration quickly turned into a nightmare. After being flown to Dubai, the three were taken to Iran under a false promise of onward flights to Australia. There they were stripped, and tortured by captors allegedly linked to a Pakistan-based human trafficking syndicate.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Social media influencer killed in ‘moral policing' attack, say Punjab Police
Bathinda: Social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, known as Kamal Kaur 'Bhabhi', was murdered in what police described as an act of "moral policing" and arrested two suspects and are searching for the alleged mastermind. The body of the 25-year-old popular Instagram personality with 3.83 lakh followers was found in a car parked outside Adesh Medical University here late Wednesday night. Superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said Amritpal Singh of Mehron village in Moga district conspired to kill her, angered by her alleged vulgar and obscene online content. Mehron, who had previously warned the influencer, approached her on June 7 and 8 at her Ludhiana home, ostensibly to promote a video related to cars. On June 9, Mehron dispatched associates Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh in a SUV to bring Kamal Kaur to Bathinda. She travelled in her own Hyundai Eon, trailed by the suspects. Near Bathinda, the group stopped at a car workshop. Police said Jaspreet and Nimratjit confronted Kamal Kaur, demanding she stop uploading "vulgar videos" and using "Kaur" with her name. Subsequently, the two men joined Kamal Kaur in her car. It was then that Jaspreet Singh allegedly strangled her with a piece of cloth, leaving her body on the rear seat, according to the SSP. The car was later parked in the Adesh University car park. Kamal Kaur was unmarried and lived with her two sisters, two brothers and mother after the death of her father one-and-a-half years ago. The SSP confirmed that Kamal Kaur was killed on the night of June 9-10. Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh were arrested late Thursday. Police are on the hunt for Amritpal Singh Mehron, who remains at large. A case of murder and destruction of evidence was registered against the three. Police said Amritpal Singh and Nimratjit Singh were previously involved in a 2021 "moral policing" case in Barnala district. BOX Man who ordered the hit contested polls, against 'obscene content' Amritpal Singh from Mehron village in Moga district faces a murder charge as a conspirator in the Kamal Kaur case. He also has two criminal cases at Dhanaula police station in Barnala district, one for threatening a producer accused of "obscene songs" in 2021 and another in Amritsar for allegedly vandalising folk dancer statues near the Golden Temple in 2020. Mehron unsuccessfully contested the 2022 assembly elections as an SAD (Amritsar) candidate from the Tarn Taran constituency. His 2022 election affidavit stated he completed a diploma in diesel mechanics from ITI, Moga, in 2014 after Class XII (non-medical) from DM College Moga, and worked as a diesel mechanic. Mehron leads a self-styled organisation, 'Qaum De Rakhe', and has recently targeted social media influencers posting "obscene content". He had previously threatened both Kamal Kaur and Deepika Luthra over their content, also warning Kamal against using "Kaur" with her name. MSID:: 121827555 413 | Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Indian Express
Sikh activist murder probe leads to Tinder account ‘linked' to Amritpal Singh
Punjab Police has sought information from dating app Tinder about an account suspected to be linked with radical preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who has been booked in the murder of a Sikh activist. The Faridkot police, in a letter to Tinder on May 26, said it was probing the murder case of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau, who was shot dead on October 9 last year while returning home from a local Gurdwara. Nau was a member of the radical outfit 'Waris Punjab De' headed by Amritpal Singh. He used to run a Facebook page 'Hari Nau Talks' and had openly opposed Amritpal Singh's radical views, revealed sources. Police have sought from Tinder the subscriber details, name, DOB, phone number, location information, and IP address logs since January 1, 2019. It has also sought information on all linked e-mail IDs and phone numbers, photographs and media files uploaded, friends/contacts list and mutual matches, chat history and messages exchanged via the Tinder platform and any other detail.
