Punjab: Internet suspended till Monday in state as cops chase Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh

The police and the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) marched with flags throughout Punjab on Sunday to prepare for the eventual capture of fugitive Sikh radical preacher Amritpal Singh, leader of the group Waris Punjab De. The government has prolonged the suspension of SMS and mobile internet services, except voice calls, until Monday at noon in the sake of public safety.

“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 suspended till March 20 (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety: Dept of Home Affairs & Justice, Govt of Punjab,” news agency ANI tweeted.

Reports from reliable sources indicate that the Punjab Police want to file charges against Amritpal Singh under the NSA. The police in Amritsar, led by Deputy Commissioner Parminder Singh Bhandal, have reportedly set up a hundred roadblocks in and around the city to conduct physical inspections of passing vehicles. At the checks, police were accompanied by CRPF jawans.

Amritsar has been a hotbed of activity for the hardline Punjabi organisation Waris Punjab De. Deep Sidhu, an actor and political activist, started the organisation Waris Punjab De.

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 suspended till March 20 (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety: Dept of… https://t.co/rQKCP9QxRG pic.twitter.com/ggTr1qk8M2 — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2023

Sandeep Singh, also known as Deep Sidhu, was killed in a car accident in February 2022 on his way from Delhi to Bathinda. A "poll gimmick," the organisation was formed by Sidhu in 2021, just before the Punjab assembly elections.