Mobile internet and SMS services were suspended in the Indian state of Punjab on Sunday as police launched a manhunt for Amritpal Singh, the leader of the Sikh separatist movement, Waris Punjab De.
According to the Punjab government, the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services was to last until noon on Monday, “to prevent any incitement to violence and any disturbance of peace and public order.”
As per a tweet shared by the police in Punjab, where Sikhism is the predominant religion, over 70 individuals were arrested in the “mega crackdown”.
“As part of the operations, 78 persons have been arrested and several more have been detained,” a Scroll.in report quoted the police as saying.
Meanwhile, The Wire reported that many districts of Punjab, including two of the six border districts, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilika, have imposed Section 144 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, which restricts the assembly of five or more persons.
The report also mentioned heavy police deployment in all district headquarters, including Singh’s hometown near Amritsar, and the sealing off of Jallupur Khera, which is Singh’s native village, by paramilitary forces.
Amritpal Singh and Khalistan Movement
Amritpal Singh, a controversial self-styled preacher, supports the Khalistan movement, which calls for a separate homeland for Sikhs in India. He gained national attention after breaking into a police station with swords and guns last month to demand the release of one of his aides. The incident left six police officers injured and led to criticism of the Punjab government for security lapses.
“The government confirmed that the action against him and his supporters was linked to his attack on the Anjala police station last month,” The Wire said.
The Khalistan movement peaked in the 1980s and resulted in thousands of deaths, including the assassination of then-prime minister, Indira Gandhi, by two Sikh security guards. In the decades since, the separatist movement has lost a lot of support.
Some political analysts believe that the government is responsible for Singh’s fame and that the massive crackdown against him will make him more popular.
“Amritpal Singh has been given lots of space by the government. In a short time, he got a larger-than-life image,” Ronki Ram, a professor at Panjab University’s department of political science, told Arab News.
“By doing this massive crackdown against Amritpal Singh, they are making him more popular. There are so many organizations behind him, which also shows the gravity of the situation in Punjab.”
While Singh’s popularity has grown, there has been no significant resurgence of the Khalistan movement.