PTI, CHANDIGARH/PHAGWARA: Members of two Hindu groups and a Dalit outfit clashed in Punjab’s Phagwara district, injuring four persons, with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today appealing for peace and ordering suspension of mobile Internet and text services in four districts.
The groups clashed last night, on the eve of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, over the installation of a board and renaming of a “chowk” (intersection) in Phagwara, police said.
The chief minister, who is personally monitoring the situation after the incident, has ordered suspension of mobile Internet services in Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar districts to check rumour-mongering on social media, according to an official release.
The services were suspended with immediate effect for 24 hours, an order issued by Secretary, Home Affairs, Punjab, said.
“There is a likelihood of tension, annoyance, obstruction, injury to persons, danger to human life and property, disturbance of public peace and tranquillity in Punjab by miscreants, anti-national and anti-social elements in view of the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar after the clash,” it said.
“The order of suspension of mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA), all SMS and all dongle services provided by mobile networks, except voice calls shall be in force for the next 24 hours with immediate effect,” the order said.
