Editor's Pick: Crackdown to arrest pro-Khalistani preacher

The Punjab Police arrested 78 persons on Saturday as part of a major crackdown against pro-Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singh and his supporters. A hunt was still on for Amritpal Singh whilst several people have also been detained for questioning. The police have appealed for calm, cautioning people against spreading fake news or hate speech. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the law-and-order issue in the State. About 1,900 security personnel drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force and the anti-riot Rapid Action Force were dispatched. Internet services were suspended across the state until Sunday noon to prevent any incitement to violence. Further, news agency ANI, quoting Dept of Home Affairs & Justice (Govt of Punjab), has reported that the suspension would continue until 12 p.m. on Monday, March 20th The chain of events started in the afternoon when the police intercepted several activists of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ collective on the Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar and arrested seven people. Earlier in the day, video clips about the police chase surfaced on social media. In one video, Amritpal was seen travelling in a vehicle. He sprung into limelight after a mob led by him attacked a police station in Amritsar on February 23 to secure the release of his associate, Lovepreet Singh. The latter was arrested in an alleged kidnapping-cum-theft case. Six policemen sustained injuries in the incident. The associates of ‘Waris Punjab De’ are involved in four cases of spreading disharmony among classes, attempted murder, attack on policemen and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants. The agencies are conducting investigation to determine if the accused has links with U.K.-based Avtar Singh Khanda, allegedly a close associate of pro-Khalistan activist Jagtar Singh Tara, and some others operating from overseas. The Hindu Explains Explained | What is India’s stand on same-sex marriage? Explained | Will the SVB collapse impact Indian start-ups? The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw a huge jump in the number of Lok Sabha seats it bagged between the just two general elections in 1984 and 1989. While it got 85 seats in 1989, how many seats did it bag in the previous Lok Sabha election in 1984? 6 3 7 2 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 19 March 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Crackdown to arrest pro-Khalistani preacher The Punjab Police arrested 78 persons on Saturday as part of a major crackdown against pro-Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singh and his supporters. A [hunt was still on for Amritpal Singh]( whilst several people have also been detained for questioning. The police have appealed for calm, cautioning people against spreading fake news or hate speech. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 2 to discuss the law-and-order issue in the State. About 1,900 security personnel drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force and the anti-riot Rapid Action Force were dispatched. Internet services were suspended across the state until Sunday noon to prevent any incitement to violence. Further, news agency ANI, quoting Dept of Home Affairs & Justice (Govt of Punjab), has reported that the suspension would continue until 12 p.m. on Monday, March 20th The chain of events started in the afternoon when the police intercepted several activists of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ collective on the Shahkot-Malsian Road in Jalandhar and arrested seven people. Earlier in the day, video clips about the police chase surfaced on social media. In one video, Amritpal was seen travelling in a vehicle. He sprung into limelight after a mob led by him attacked a police station in Amritsar on February 23 to secure the release of his associate, Lovepreet Singh. The latter was arrested in an alleged kidnapping-cum-theft case. Six policemen sustained injuries in the incident. The associates of ‘Waris Punjab De’ are involved in four cases of spreading disharmony among classes, attempted murder, attack on policemen and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants. The agencies are conducting investigation to determine if the accused has links with U.K.-based Avtar Singh Khanda, allegedly a close associate of pro-Khalistan activist Jagtar Singh Tara, and some others operating from overseas. The Hindu Explains [Arrow][Explained | What is India’s stand on same-sex marriage?]( [Arrow][Explained | Will the SVB collapse impact Indian start-ups?]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw a huge jump in the number of Lok Sabha seats it bagged between the just two general elections in 1984 and 1989. While it got 85 seats in 1989, how many seats did it bag in the previous Lok Sabha election in 1984? - 6 - 3 - 7 - 2 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. Are you a book lover looking for your next literary adventure? Look no further than “The Hindu On Books” weekly newsletter! We scour the shelves to bring you the best new releases and hidden gems in all genres. 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