The Haryana government, led by Nayab Singh Saini, has suspended internet services across the entire Sirsa district until midnight on Thursday following the death of Dera chief Bahadur Chand Vakil last week.
Vakil, who led Dera Jagmalwali in Sirsa, passed away and was cremated on Friday. His followers have raised concerns about foul play in his death, and a different faction is poised to take over the Dera.
The suspension order, issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Anurag Rastogi, cites concerns over potential unrest and disturbances that could lead to damage to public and private property. The measure aims to curb the spread of misinformation and rumors through social media platforms and SMS, which could incite violent protests and vandalism.
The restrictions, effective from August 7 at 5:00 PM until August 8 at 11:59 PM, include a ban on mobile internet services (2G/3G/5G/CDMA/GPRS), bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge), and dongle services. Voice calls are exempt from the ban, as are individual SMS, mobile recharges, banking SMS, and internet services provided by broadband and lease lines for corporate and domestic users.
Followers of the deceased Dera chief in Fatehabad and neighboring districts have also claimed that Vakil’s death was suspicious. They have accused Virender Singh Dhillon, who is set to lead the Dera, of orchestrating Vakil’s murder and are demanding a CBI investigation into the matter.
