Amritpal Singh manhunt: Internet services in Punjab suspended till Tuesday noon

Earlier today, the Khalistan sympathiser's uncle and driver surrendered before the police in Jalandhar. The hunt for Amritpal, however, is still on, the SSP said. The state police has so far arrested 112 supporters of Amritpal. On Sunday, it conducted flag marches and searches across the state in their manhunt for Amritpal.

As the hunt for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh on Monday (March 20) continued, the Punjab government extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Tuesday noon.

"All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab suspended till March 21 (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety," the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab, said. 

Police had said it had launched a "massive statewide cordon and search operations (CASO)" against elements of the 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD), headed by Amritpal, against whom several criminal cases had been registered.

Earlier today, the Khalistan sympathiser's uncle and driver surrendered before the police in Jalandhar. The hunt for Amritpal, however, is still on, the SSP said. The state police has so far arrested 112 supporters of Amritpal. On Sunday, it conducted flag marches and searches across the state in their manhunt for Amritpal.

The day before, the Punjab government launched a major crackdown against Amritpal and his Waris Punjab De, with the police arresting 78 members of the outfit on that day. The preacher, however, escaped their dragnet somehow after his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district.

He began to openly demand Punjab's secession from India and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Bagwant Singh Mann, the radical Sikh preacher has had no qualms in him being termed as Bhindranwale 2.0'.