Mobile and internet services suspended as Indian police launch manhunt to arrest prominent Sikh leader – Reuters
Mobile and internet services were suspended in several parts of Indian Punjab on Sunday as police launched what they called a “manhunt” against prominent Sikh leader Amritpal Singh, Indian media reported.
Indian media describe him as a “Khalistan leader”.
According to a report by Scroll.in, statewide “closure and search operations” were launched on Saturday against Singh’s organization, Waris Punjab De.
“As part of these operations, 78 people were arrested and several others were detained,” police said citing police.
India Today reported on Sunday that security had been tightened across Indian Punjab as the search for Singh continued for the second day.
“[The] father of Amritpal Singh, who was declared a fugitive by the Commissioner of Jalandhar on Saturday March 18, said Punjab police carried out searches at his home in Amritsar but found nothing illegal,” he said. -he declares.
“We have no information on his fate. They searched our residence for 3-4 hours but found nothing illegal. The police should have arrested him before he left the house,” Singh’s father was quoted as saying by the report.
Meanwhile, The Wire said Section 144 of India’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits the gathering of five or more people, has been imposed in many districts of Punjab, including Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilika, two of six border districts of Punjab.
“A major police deployment has been carried out in all district headquarters, including Singh’s hometown near Amritsar. Paramilitary forces have cordoned off the khera of Jallupur, which is the home village of Amritpal Singh,” he said.
The report also states that mobile internet and SMS services in several districts of Punjab have been suspended till noon today.
The action against Sindh, according to The Wire, comes after he and his workers “besieged a police station” in Anjala of Amritsar to “free one of his aides”.
“The government has confirmed that the action against him and his supporters was linked to his attack on Anjala police station last month,” The Wire said.
The outlet added in its report that a First Information Report (FIR) was also filed against Singh and his supporters last month “for their involvement in four criminal cases related to spreading class discord, attempted murder, aggression against police officers and the creation of obstacles to the lawful exercise of the functions of civil servants”.
