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Situation tense but under control in Punjab
Press Trust of India, Tuesday May 26, 2009, Chandigarh

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The situation in trouble-torn Punjab was on Tuesday said to be, tense but under control, after violence swept the state in the wake of the killing of a sect head in Vienna even as a protestor was killed by an SAD councillor in "self defence" in Jalandhar, taking the death toll to three.

Buses were not plying in the state and most of the train services remained curtailed.

The first train that passed through Ludhiana on Tuesday morning was Guwahati-Jammu Himgiri express, officials said.

However, roads, which had been blocked by protestors who had set up barricades, have been cleared for traffic, officials said.

A mob attacked councillor Balbir Singh Bittu late Monday and burnt his car following which he allegedly open fired in self defense, killing a protester identified as Vijay, police said.

The situation in the state is tense, but under control, officials said.

Police and Army patrolling in curfew bound Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Hoshiarpur continued for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.

A two-hour curfew relaxation was given in Jalandhar.

"We have given two hours relaxation in curfew from 8 am to 10 am for the people so that they can buy essential commodities," Jalandhar deputy Commissioner A S Pannu said.
 
However, no relaxation was given in curfew in Hoshiarpur and Phagwara.

A four-hour relaxation in curfew was given in 11 out of 16 police stations of Ludhiana from 10 am.

The excluded areas are sensitive localities mainly of Dera followers, officials said.

Meanwhile, three trains bound for Punjab and Jammu have been terminated at Ambala junction, officials said, adding these included Dadar-Amritsar express, Mumbai-Amritsar deluxe and Shaheed express.

Three trains have been cancelled including Amritsar-Nanded Sachkhand express, Amritsar-Jansewa express and Meerut-Ludhiana superfast.

The widespread violence and arson took place in the state after head of Jalandhar-based Dera Sachkhand Ballan and his associate were attacked by some Sikhs in a shrine at Vienna at Austria on Sunday.

While Dera Sachkhan head Sant Nairanjan Dass was injured his associate Sant Ramanand succumbed to bullet injuries in a hospital triggering widespread arson and violence by their followers, mostly Dalits in many parts of Punjab.

A report from Yamunanagar in Haryana said that, an unruly mob went on a rampage, damaging two trucks, two motorcycles and a car at Jagadhari bus stand on Tuesday morning.

The protestors also clashed with the police near the bus stand, officials said.
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Tags: Punjab, sect, Vienna, Violence
Comments
Posted by Varun on May 26, 2009
I say this is a cowardly act, primarily instigated by the BJP. Just because of the fact that they lost all thier seats in the northern states, they have used such a tragic incident to damage the reputation of the government. In the time when the country should have been praying for Guruji's departed soul, they have utilized it to spread violence. Conduct a survey and you will find out that the public is in deep grief by Guruji's assassination, but everyone would condemn the incidents that have happened over the fortnight. No individual would have done such bizzare acts but only a political party.
Posted by Navjeet Singh Sandhu on May 26, 2009
Its truly haunting and i am surprised that the govt. is not taking any serious action to stop this.Are these ministers available on roads only prior to elections.Have they forgotten their duties?They must think of the families of those people who have died without any reason.
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