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From Dubai to surrender in Rode, Sikh separatist has Punjab sweating
Amritpal Singh is fashioning himself into pro-Khalistani activist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was slain in 1984.
After dodging the might of Punjab police, supported by the Indian central government, for 37 days, emerging Sikh separatist leader Amritpal Singh ‘surrendered’ in the north Indian state’s Moga district on Sunday morning. The local government continues to say he was arrested, but details from Rode village in Moga tell otherwise.
It is another dramatic chapter in the short life of the political leader, months after leaving Dubai as a dispatcher at his family transport business to heading Waris Punjab De, an NGO which is now in support of asking a separate state of Khalistan for the Sikh community.
Rode in Punjab’s Moga district is the ancestral village of slain Khalistani ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amritpal’s emergence in Punjab has been dubbed as the arrival of “Bhindranwale 2.0′. It is alleged that Amritpal Singh even went to Georgia for cosmetic surgery to make himself resemble like him on departure from Dubai to India to take over Deep Sidhu, an actor who headed WPD before he died in a road accident last year.
Amritpal chose Rode both for his Dastarbandi ceremony (a Sikh ritual) to take over as head of WPD in September last year and for his surrender before the police, reaffirming the idea that Bhindranwale remains his “idol”. In an address early morning at the local gurudwara, he said his arrest (meaning surrender) was “not the end but the beginning. ”
पंजाब पुलिस का दावा- सरेंडर नहीं किया, हमने गांव को घेर लिया था,अमृतपाल के पास कोई चारा नहीं था #wernewslive #dailynews #AmritpalSingh #Gurudwara #Amritpal_Singh #amritpal #PunjabPolice #BhagwantMann #AmritpalSinghArrest #AmritpalDetained @PunjabPoliceInd pic.twitter.com/BXMoHnaoAa
— WeRNews (@WeRNewsLive) April 23, 2023
Former Akal Takht Jathedar and Bhindranwale’s nephew Jasvir Singh Rode said “Amritpal was not nabbed by the police but he chose to surrender himself after paying obeisance at the gurdwara.”
“Amritpal had reached Rode late on Saturday night. I was informed by the police that he will surrender from our village. I got to know at around midnight and left for Rode soon after. I reached Rode at around 4 am and he was already present. When I met him, he said that he was going to surrender.
“Amritpal had informed the police last night itself that he will surrender today morning after paying obeisance at the gurdwara. He also addressed the sangat (congregation) for a few minutes before the surrender. Had the police arrested him, would they have allowed him to address the sangat? He was all prepared for it and had packed his clothes, combs etc. The police took him away at around 7 am,” Jasvir Rode added.
Amritpal Singh has been taken to Dibrugarh, Assam, where the rest of his aides are also in jail. All have been booked and taken in under the National Security Act. When Amritpal first evaded the police net on March 18 (see timeline), it was rumoured that he was apprehended and will be bumped off in an encounter.
Amritpal Singh escaped the police dragnet twice — first on March 18 in Jalandhar district by switching vehicles and then again on March 28 in Hoshiarpur when he returned to Punjab along with his associate Pappalpreet Singh, who has allegedly been in touch with Pakistan’s ISI.
Pappalpreet Singh has been sent to Dibrugarh jail in Assam.
While on the run, two videos and one audio clip of Amritpal Singh had surfaced on social media. In one of his two videos, which surfaced on March 30, Amritpal Singh had asserted that he was not like those who flee the country.
ROAD TAKEN BY AMRITPAL – FROM DUBAI TO RODE
A timeline of the event so far.
- September 29, 2021: Sandeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Deep Sidhu starts ‘Waris Punjab De’ as a pressure group to “fight for the rights of Punjab and protect its culture”
- February 15, 2022: Deep Sidhu, who shot into the national limelight during farm protests, killed in a road accident
- September 29, 2022: Amritpal Singh appointed ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief by his supporters months after Deep Sidhu’s death
- February 16, 2023: FIR registered against Amritpal Singh and Lovepreet Singh, alias Toofan, in Ajnala, for allegedly kidnapping, thrashing, and attempting to murder
- February 17, 2023: Toofan arrested by the Ajnala Police
- February 23, 2023: Amritpal and his supporters storm Ajnala Police Station and lay siege to pressurise cops to release Toofan. Under pressure, the police agree to release his aide Toofan.
- February 24, 2023: Toofan released from the judicial custody. Police secretly register an FIR under attempt to murder, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty.
- February 25, 2023: DGP chairs a meeting of senior officials and discusses possibilities of action against Amritpal and his aides. The plan was also discussed with the chief minister.
- March 2, 2023: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann along with DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav meets Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. A foolproof plan to act against Waris Punjab De Chief and his aides was given a go-ahead by the home minister. Shah also assures Mann of every possible help from the Centre, including sending Central Armed Forces.
- March 17, 2023: As the G-20 meeting concludes in Amritsar, senior police officials are directed to implement a state-wide crackdown against Amritpal and his aides.
- March 18, 2023: Police teams of more than eight districts start chasing a cavalcade of Amritpal from his native district Amritsar to Bathinda. The cavalcade was intercepted at Mehatpur of Jalandhar district and seven aides of Amritpal were apprehended. However, Amritpal manages to give a slip. On the same day, the four of his supporters are airlifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam, after the Punjab government invokes National Security Act against them.
- March 19, 2023: The manhunt enters the second day and police arrested 34 more persons.
- March 20, 2023: Amritpal’s uncle, identified as Harjit Singh, and his driver surrenders in the wee hours in Shahkot of Jalandhar. Harjit was also booked under NSA and airlifted to Dibrugarh Jail in Assam.
- March 28, 2023: Amritpal spotted in the Hoshiarpur district along with his friend Pappalpreet Singh but again managed to give the police a slip.
- April 10, 2023: Pappalpreet arrested from Amritsar district by Punjab Police.
- April 23, 2023: Amritpal, already booked under NSA, arrested from Rode village in Moga district. He is likely to be shifted to Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam.
The 12th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial will open on October 7 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, bringing together 272 Arab and international artists and featuring 681 artworks across a programme of 93 events.
Running through November 15, the Biennial will transform venues across Sharjah into spaces dedicated to Arabic calligraphy, contemporary art and cultural dialogue. Locations include Calligraphy Square, Sharjah Art Museum, House of Wisdom, University of the Arts Sharjah and 1971 – Design Space.
The programme was announced by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs at Sharjah’s Department of Culture and Director of the Biennial, during a press conference attended by Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah’s Department of Culture, participating artists and media representatives.
(Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs at Sharjah’s Department of Culture and Director of the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, speaks during the press conference announcing the 12th Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial. Photos by Muhammad Sajjad)
Balance takes centre stage
Held under the theme Balance, the 12th edition explores one of the fundamental principles of Arabic calligraphy: harmony between proportion, precision, letters and space.
Al Qaseer said the Biennial’s continued development has helped strengthen the international presence of Arabic calligraphy, while creating new opportunities for artists to connect the traditional art form with contemporary artistic practices.
The Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial was established in 2004 under the patronage and support of the Ruler of Sharjah and has since developed into an international platform for calligraphers, artists and researchers. Sharjah’s Department of Culture says the 12th edition will feature local, Arab and international participation.
26 exhibitions, 61 workshops
The Biennial programme includes 26 exhibitions and 61 art workshops, alongside lectures, seminars and visual presentations.
The participating artists represent countries across the Arab world, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Oman, Libya, Yemen and Tunisia. International participation includes artists from Italy, Sweden, China, Canada, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Germany, Turkey, Indonesia and other countries.
The 681 works span traditional calligraphy, modern and contemporary lettering, installations, murals and Islamic ornamentation.
Major exhibitions include Hilya Sharifa, Balance and Pioneers at Sharjah Art Museum. The museum will also host photography exhibitions exploring the relationship between the Arabic letter, visual culture and photography.
At House of Wisdom, Bymizan: From the Dot to the Meaning will examine the journey of the Arabic letter from its foundational dot to its completed visual and semantic form.
Other exhibitions will be presented at Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation, Emirates Fine Arts Society, 1971 – Design Space and University of the Arts Sharjah.
International seminar on Arabic calligraphy
House of Wisdom will also host an international seminar titled Arabic Calligraphy Between Authenticity and Global Pioneering. The programme will bring together researchers, academics and artists to discuss the evolution of Arabic calligraphy and its place within contemporary global art.
The Biennial is expected to welcome around 100 guests, including media professionals, lecturers, calligraphers and workshop facilitators.
Three calligraphers to be honoured
The 12th edition will honour three prominent figures in Arabic calligraphy: Khalifa Elshimy of Egypt, Belaid Hamidi of Morocco and Ali Al Hammadi of the UAE. The three artists were previously announced among the honourees for the 2026 edition.
The Biennial will also present awards for outstanding works in its General Exhibition, including the Grand Prize, awards for traditional calligraphy, modern and contemporary calligraphic arts, and a special jury award for an Emirati calligrapher.
The General Exhibition itself reflects the Biennial’s focus on both heritage and innovation, bringing together traditional approaches alongside modern lettering and installation-based works.
With its international participation and extensive exhibition and educational programme, the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial 2026 aims to reaffirm Arabic calligraphy as a living art form—rooted in heritage while continuing to evolve within the global contemporary art scene.
Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial 2026 opens October 7 with 681 artworks by 272 artists
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