Situation tense but under control in Punjab

Chandigarh, May 26 (PTI) The situation in trouble-torn
northern state of Punjab was tense on Tuesday 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 Shiromani Akali Dal (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 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 Monday
late night and burnt his car following which he allegedly
opened fire in self defence, killing a protester identified as
Vijay, police said.

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

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. PTI TEAM
RAI