Internet services have been suspended all across Punjab as the police on Saturday launched an operation to arrest Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his aides, Hindustan Times reported.
Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh has become active in Punjab for the past few weeks as his supporters last month clashed with the police at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar demanding the release of one of Amritpal’s aides.
On Saturday, six aides of Amritpal were reportedly detained in Jalandhar, news agency PTI reported.
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), PTI reported.
Officials said internet services will remain suspended in Punjab till Sunday.
As the Internet was suspended, the Punjab Police urged people to maintain peace and harmony and not to spread panic, fake news or hate speech.
“Punjab Police is working to maintain law and order,” the Punjab Police tweeted. “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,” the government said.
