Punjab: Internet services suspended till March 19 as police mobilise to arrest Amritpal Singh

Punjab Police launched a crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh on March 18.

Internet services have been suspended till 12 noon Sunday, said a senior official of the Home affairs department. 

"All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking & mobile recharge) & all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall be suspended from 18th March (12:00 hours) to 19th March (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety," said Dept of Home Affairs & Justice, Govt of Punjab

There was no official confirmation of the police action though. Amripal's cavalcade was reportedly intercepted by police in Mehatpur village in Jalandhar district on Saturday. 

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Though he managed to escape, six of his supporters were learnt to have been detained. Some supporters of 'Waris Punjab De' chief shared some videos on social media claiming that policemen were chasing them. 

A video also showed Amritpal sitting in a vehicle and one of his aides could be heard saying policemen were after 'Bhai Saab (Amritpal). Another supporter in a field shared a video in which he was claiming that policemen were after him. Meanwhile, the Punjab Police asked people to maintain peace and harmony. 

"Request all citizens to maintain peace & harmony. Punjab Police is working to maintain Law & Order. Request citizens not to panic or spread fake news or hate speech," it said in a tweet. 

Last month, Amritpal and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into the Ajnala Police Station on the outskirts of the Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of one of Amritpal's aides. During the incident, six policemen including a Superintendent of Police rank officer suffered injuries.