AMRITSAR, March 20 -- Three men, including a 'local AAP leader', were arrested with 4 kg heroin, weapon and cartridges from the area falling under Mehta Police Station here on Thursday. The arrested accused have been identified as Lovepreet Singh of Kot Hirdeyram village in Majitha assembly constituency, Balwant Singh of Verka, and Simarpreet Singh of Kot Hirdeyram. Congress halqa incharge Bhagwantpal Singh Sachar alleged that Lovepreet is an active local leader of the AAP, and his photographs with senior party leaders, including AAP halqa incharge of Majitha Talbir Singh Gill, are circulating on social media. Talbir Singh Gill, a local AAP leader who was announced as party candidate for the 2027 assembly polls from Majitha segment by chief minister Bhagwant Mann in January this year, confirmed Lovepreet was an active member of AAP. Station House Officer (SHO) Harpal Singh stated that, acting on a tip-off, police set up a checkpoint during which a white SUV, with its number plates smeared with mud, was stopped. "The driver sped away but was intercepted near Jamalpur village. All three occupants of the vehicle were arrested and a search led to recovery of 4.3kg of heroin, a .30-bore pistol, and four live cartridges," the SHO said, adding that the cops will seek remand of the accused to investigate their forward and backward links. "Before I joined the party, he (Lovepreet) was the local youth president of Majitha segment. I have already asked the SSP and the SHO concerned to take strict action against him if his involvement is confirmed. The AAP will never protect its erring leaders," said Gill. On January 18, Mann, while addressing a rally in Majitha, had announced Gill as the party's candidate for the 2027 assembly elections. "This has exposed the AAP government's drive against drugs. If the police are given free hands, more layers of the nexus will unfold," Congress leader Sachar alleged. Despite repeated calls, AAP chief spokesperson and Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal couldn't be contacted for comments. On March 11, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested the sarpanch of Kalsian village in Tarn Taran district with 18kg of heroin. The Opposition alleged that sarpanch Paramjit Singh was president of the village defence committee (VDC), formed by the Punjab government under its anti-drug drive 'Yudh Nashian Virudh.' The veracity of the claim, however, could not be independently verified....