The Punjab government has extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in several districts until Thursday noon, as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. The curbs have been lifted in the rest of the state from Tuesday noon.
The Punjab government on Tuesday extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur and Amritsar's Ajnala sub-division and a few areas in Mohali till Thursday noon. The curbs will be lifted from the rest of the state from Tuesday noon, the department of home affairs and justice said in an order.
"It is directed that all mobile internet services (2G/3G/45/5G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall continue to remain suspended from March 21 (12.00 hours) to March 23 (12.00 hours) only in the districts Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur, sub-division Ajnala in Amritsar, areas adjoining YPS chowk and airport road, both in SAS Nagar in continuation of this office order no 1781 dated March 20 in the interest of public safety, to prevent any incitement to violence and to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order," it read.
The order clarified that mobile internet services in all the remaining areas of the state should start functioning normally from 12 noon on March 21.