Authorities in India prolonged a cell web blackout throughout the northern state of Punjab on Monday as police hunted for radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh.

The 30-year-old has risen to prominence in latest months for his push to create a separate Sikh state often known as “Khalistan.”

Authorities say the web blackout will stay in place till a minimum of midday on Tuesday.

Police in Punjab arrested greater than 100 of his supporters following protests within the Sikh majority state over the weekend. But Singh’s whereabouts stay unknown.

What is the Khalistan motion?

The push for a breakaway Sikh homeland enjoys some assist in Punjab, the place about 58% of the inhabitants of 30 million are Sikhs.

The Khalistan motion is banned in India, the place the federal government considers it to be nationwide safety risk.

Thousands of individuals died throughout earlier efforts to advance the Khalistan separatist marketing campaign the Nineteen Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties.

It can also be a preferred concept amongst some members of the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, the UK and the US.

India has appealed to overseas governments to take motion towards Sikh radicals within the Indian diaspora who they accuse of making an attempt to revive the insurgency.

Attacks in London, San Francisco

Police within the UK reported on Monday that Khalistan supporters had allegedly smashed home windows on the Indian High Commission in London over the weekend and eliminated the constructing’s Indian flag. 

The Indian authorities mentioned it had summoned British deputy excessive commissioner in New Delhi to demand a proof.

“India finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK government to the security of  Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK,” a authorities assertion mentioned.

UK Foreign Office Minister Tariq Ahmad mentioned he was “appalled” by the incident in London.

“This is a completely unacceptable action against the integrity of the Mission and its staff,” he wrote on Twitter. “The UK government will always take the security of the Indian High Commission seriously.”

Similar unrest was reported on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Footage posted on-line appeared to point out Singh’s supporters smashing the consulate’s doorways and home windows after breaking down barricades. An official cited by the AFP information company mentioned the Indian Foreign Ministry was intently inspecting the video.

nm/rt (AFP, AP)