A fugitive Sikh separatist preacher, who has been sought by thousands of Indian police officers for the past two weeks, has released a video mocking the authorities.
Police in the northwestern Indian state of Punjab, which have been pursuing Amritpal Singh since March 18, have arrested more than 100 of his supporters and banned gatherings of more than four people in some places.
Punjab, which has a population of 30 million, 58% of whom are Sikhs, was left without mobile internet for several days.
Amritpal Singh, 30, has made a name for himself in recent months by calling for the creation of Khalistan, a state claimed by Sikh separatists in Punjab whose struggle in the 1980s and 1990s sparked violence affecting thousands demanded from the dead.
The refugee, seen in Delhi, called the police operation an “attack on the Sikh community” in a video posted to social media on Wednesday.
“I’ve never been afraid of being arrested, and I’m not now either. My morale is good. nobody can hurt me It is God’s will,” he said.
The video has not been independently verified, but there is little doubt as to its authenticity. It had been posted on Twitter accounts based in the UK and Canada, but the American company deleted them at the request of the government in India.
Twitter has also suspended the accounts of several Sikh Canadians who have criticized the crackdown, including MP Jagmeet Singh, as well as several journalists for its Indian users, according to news reports.
The hunt for the preacher sparked protests by Sikhs outside Indian consulates in Britain, Canada and the United States. His supporters smashed windows in San Francisco.
India has summoned diplomatic representatives from the US, UK and Canada to New Delhi to protest and demand security for Indian missions in those countries.
The preacher and his supporters, armed with swords, knives and guns, stormed a police station in February after an associate of Mr Singh was arrested for allegedly assaulting and attempting to kidnap.
The broad daylight attack on the outskirts of Amritsar, the city where the Golden Temple, the holiest of all Sikh temples, is located, injured several police officers and prompted authorities to leave.
India has often complained to host countries about the activities of the separatist diaspora there, which New Delhi says is likely to revive the movement thanks to massive financial aid.