To maintain peace and harmony following arrest of four people in connection with a clash between members of a Dalit outfit and Hindu groups in Phagwara, the Punjab government has extended the temporary suspension of mobile internet services in four districts till 16 April with immediate effect.
Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson said that this order was issued temporarily for suspension of mobile Internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA), all SMS services, as well as all dongle services except voice, calls in the territorial jurisdiction of four districts namely Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar as a precautionary measure.
He further said that all telecom services providers in Punjab and head of BSNL (Punjab jurisdiction) are directed to ensure compliance of this order. The spokesperson said that any person found guilty for violation of aforesaid order, would be liable for legal action.
Six people were injured in Phagwara after a clash between Dalits and Shiv Sena workers on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, the situation in this small town near Jalandhar is tense but under control.
Meanwhile, four people were arrested today in connection with the violent clashes that took place on 13 April over over the installation of a board and renaming of a chowk in Phagwara.
Inderjit Karwal, the state vice-president of Shiv Sena, Deepak Bhardwaj, Punjab unit president of Hindu Suraksha Samiti, Shivi Batta, president of another Shiv Sena outfit and one Raju Chahal, police said. They were arrested from their respective houses this morning, the police said, adding that they were presented before a magistrate who sent them to judicial custody.