'Where is the newspaper?': Punjab residents fume as deliveries hit amid vehicle checks by police

The distribution of several newspapers was delayed in various parts of Punjab on Sunday due to intensive police checking of vehicles carrying the publications.

Reports from Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur indicated that police teams stopped newspaper vans and conducted thorough searches.

In Ahmedgarh, people took to social media asking why newspapers have not been delivered. Mahavir Goyal, a resident, said no newspaper was delivered in Mandi Ahmedgarh till 9 am on Sunday.

This is probably the first time since terrorism days that newspaper circulation has been affected.

Reports from Amritsar, Faridkot and Muktsar also claiming newspapers not circulated.

In Patiala, newspaper vehicles carrying vernacular papers were checked thoroughly early morning “but later allowed to pass through”. However, in small towns of Samana and Patran, vendors claimed the supply was was hit and delayed as the police screened vehicles carrying papers.

Exercise aimed at curbing smuggling: Police

Special DGP Arpit Shukla said the exercise to check newspaper vehicles was carried out based on inputs that these vehicles could be used to smuggle drugs or weapons. “There is no attempt to stop the circulation of newspapers. The vehicles and the drivers were released after thorough checking. The remainder would be in the process."

A senior police official involved in the checking of these vehicles said, "The inputs we received were regarding vehicles of some vernacular newspapers. In the checking process, vehicles carrying other newspapers were also affected. "

Politicians question action

Meanwhile, Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi condemned the police action against newspaper circulation, saying this showed that the Punjab Government was stooping too low to declare an “undeclared emergency in Punjab”.

“Such government action is undemocratic and against the principles of an elected government,” Gandhi told The Tribune.

Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt Pargat Singh, too, reacted on the situation. In a post on X, he wrote it was a direct attack on the freedom of press in Punjab. He claimed that the Bhagwant Mann government had reportedly conducted raids and blocked newspaper distribution across the state to prevent the news about Arvind Kejriwal staying at Punjab’s official House No. 50 from reaching the public.

'Sunday spoilt': Readers complain to vendors

In Ludhiana, at 4 am, vehicles carrying different newspapers reached agency near Clock Tower, but they were taken to Kotwali. Vehicles carrying The Tribune and Ajit newspapers were released after an hour at 5:15 am. Those of Jagran, Bhaskar and Punjab Kesari were released at 7:15 am.

Imran Mohammad, a hawker, said vehicles carrying newspaper supplies had reached Ahmedgarh around 8.30 am, around four hours later than the daily time. Staff accompanying vehicles said they were detained at a police station in Ludhiana.

Like other hawkers, Imran kept receiving calls from his customers regarding non-arrival of paper at their houses.

Readers complained that their Sunday was spoilt as they could not start the day by reading their newspapers.

Monu, a newspaper vendor, said about six-seven vehicles carrying newspapers were taken to the police station around 5 am. The police thoroughly checked the vehicles. After about two hours, the vehicles were let go. "All we hawkers tried to know the reason behind taking vehicles to ‘thanas’ but the police didn't give us any satisfactory reply. They only said that they would release vehicles when senior officials pass requisite instructions. The vehicles were finally released after about two hours, due to which the newspaper supply got delayed," he said.

The situation was no different in Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib. A newspaper agent said the papers came at 4 am daily but today,  newspapers of The Tribune came at 5.40 am and those of Punjab Kesri reached at 7.30 am. He said the van of Punjab Kesri was stopped by the Sahnewal police and taken to police station.