While police are looking for a Sikh separatist on the run, Indian authorities have cut off internet access for some 27 million people in the state of Punjab for a third consecutive day, one of the most widespread blackouts in recent years.
Amritpal Singh, a well-known figure within the separatist Khalistan movement that aspires to create a sovereign state for adherents of the Sikh religion, was the target of the Punjab government`s initial 24-hour internet ban on Saturday.
The internet shutdown – which affects everyone in the northern Indian state – was extended by the government for a third time to midday tomorrow under a law that allows the connection to be cut to "prevent any incitement to violence and any disturbance of peace and public order."
Police in Punjab have justified the internet shutdown as a means to maintain law and order and stop the spread of "fake news."
Hundreds of Singh`s followers were seen going through the streets of Punjab in dramatic scenes that were captured on camera and broadcasted on local media. Some of the supporters were carrying swords and sticks. In an effort to uphold law and order, police and paramilitary forces were stationed in several state districts.
Singh is still on the run, but Punjab police reported that at least 112 other followers of him had been detained.
Some Sikhs have argued for decades that the state of Punjab should be divided into a separate country named Khalistan for adherents of the little religion. The movement`s supporters and the Indian government have engaged in violent battles over time, which have resulted in numerous fatalities.
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