BBC news Punjabi Twitter handle blocked in India amid continued police crackdown against pro-Khalistani elements in Punjab in the wake of the Amritpal Singh saga.
New Delhi: The official Twitter account of BBC Punjabi has been withheld in India amid continued police crackdown against pro-Khalistani elements in the northern Indian state of Punjab in the wake of the Amritpal Singh saga.
“@bbcnewspunjabi’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand,” read a message on BBC News Punjabi’s official Twitter handle.
BBC Punjabi news twitter
The reason behind Twitter’s action is not yet clear, but reports say that BBC News Punjabi account on the micro-blogging site has been withheld in India for “spreading misinformation on law and order situation in Punjab and anti-India propaganda.”
The move comes within days after Twitter handles several Punjab-based journalists and prominent members of the Sikh community were withheld in India amid the police crackdown.
As many as six YouTube channels promoting pro-Khalistan views were “blocked” a few days ago at the request of the Indian government. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry of India had said these channels, which were run from abroad and presenting content in Punjabi, were trying to create “crisis” in the Indian state.
Punjab Police has launched a massive operation arrest chief of the radical outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ Amritpal Singh who has been on the run since 18 March. He allegedly managed to evade the police net and is absconding.
The crackdown on the outfit began weeks after Amritpal and his supporters, some of them brandshing swords and guns, broke through barricades and stormed the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar (in Punjab) to secure release of an arrested associate.
The incident sparked fears over the possibility of the return of Khalistani militancy to Punjab that borders Pakistan.
On Saturday, a new CCTV footage emerged which purportedly showed Amritpal wearing a jacket and a trouser and speaking on a mobile phone. He was seen holding a bag with his face covered with a white cloth.
Amritpal’e key aide Papalpreet Singh was also seen in the footage that went viral last week.
With inputs from agencies
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