Amritpal case: Curbs on mobile Internet services only in Punjab's Tarn Taran, Ferozepur

The Punjab government Thursday extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts till Friday noon while lifting the curbs in Moga, Sangrur, Ajnala sub-division in Amritsar and a few areas in Mohali.

Mobile internet services in the rest of Punjab resumed on March 21.

According to an order issued on Thursday by the state home affairs department and justice, the curbs on mobile internet services have been extended in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts ”in the interest of public safety, to prevent any incitement to violence and to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order”. ”It is directed that all mobile internet services, all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall continue to remain suspended from March 23 (1200 hours) to March 24 (1200 hours) only in the districts Tarn Taran and Ferozepur in continuation of this office order number 1821 dated March 21,” it said.

Broadband services were not suspended so that banking facilities, hospital services and other essential services are not disrupted, said the order.

The Punjab authorities last week suspended Internet and SMS services in the state following the police crackdown against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De,’ headed by radical preacher Amritpal Singh. The elusive preacher, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in the Jalandhar district. With the Khalistan sympathizer continuing to remain untraceable, police have said that efforts were on to nab the fugitive.