Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, a close associate of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and MP Amritpal Singh, was released on special parole from Central Jail, Bathinda, to attend the funeral of his father, Balwinder Singh, at his native Bukkanwala village in Moga district.​A heavy police deployment accompanied Bukkanwala to prevent any untoward incident. He performed the last rites and lit his father’s funeral pyre under tight security supervision.​Several prominent figures, family members and supporters of ‘Waris Punjab De’ attended the cremation, including the parents of Amritpal Singh, who offered their condolences to the grieving family.​Bukkanwala was among the key aides of Amritpal Singh previously detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and housed in Assam’s Dibrugarh Jail. Following the revocation of NSA charges against him and other associates in 2025, he was shifted to Bathinda Jail.​His release holds political significance as ‘Waris Punjab De’ recently announced Bukkanwala as a candidate for the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Immediately after the completion of the rituals, police took Bukkanwala back into custody and escorted him to Bathinda Jail upon the expiry of his brief parole period.