Punjab on Thursday virtually came to a standstill as traders, transporters and even educational establishments across the State observed one-day Punjab Bandh amidst heavy police deployment.
A day after two Sikh protesters were killed and many others injured, the bandh on Thursday remained peaceful.
The bandh call, given by Sikh outfits against the killing of two youths and police action during the protests over alleged desecration of their holy book in Faridkot district, received a decent response with heavy police deployment at sensitive places to maintain law and order especially in Faridkot, Moga and Sangrur districts.
Officials said that an uneasy calm prevailed in parts of the State where activists held protests and blocked roads. Around 150 protesters were taken into custody when they tried to hold a demonstration in ludhiana.
To protest the killing and police action, radicals, including Damdami Taksal and Gurmat Sidhant Parcharak Sant Samaj had given a Punjab Bandh call for Thursday.
In response to the bandh call, commercial and educational institutes at many places in Punjab especially Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, parts of Tarn Taran remained shut. However, banks and pharmacies were open.
Kotkapura town, the nerve centre of protest on Wednesday, also observed a complete bandh. “No incident of violence has been reported from any part of Moga, Faridkot and Muktsar,” police said.
The private bus operators kept off the roads while the private educational institution remained closed in many parts of the State.
Sikh activists blocked traffic at Smalsar on Moga-Kotkapura road at Himmatpura on Moga-Barnala road at Kotisekhan on Moga-Amritsar road, Jogewala on Moga-Ferozepur road, at Jalalabad east on Moga-Jalandhar road, Bughipura on Moga-Barnala road, lunggiwind Kotisekhan Zira road, Gill village on Moga-Kotkapura road and Ajitwal on Moga-ludhiana national highway, the police said.
Sikh protesters in Moga district also blocked the Jalandhar-ludhiana-Barnala and Sri Ganganagar highways. Brandishing swords and sticks, protesters chanted pro-Khalistan slogans as people came in groups from various villages to join the protests. The protesters included women as well.
Tarn Taran district also witnessed a complete shutdown. Protesters blocked the Tarn Taran-Harike road and also burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and demanded the arrest of those behind the incident that took place in Bargari.
Blockades were laid on various routes and the protests continued peacefully till the afternoon.
The bandh had no response in Bathinda, while Mansa was partially affected in the morning and there was a mixed response till the afternoon in Amritsar.
Earlier in the day, at least 40 people, who had planned to block the road at Bibi Wala Chowk as a part of bandh call, were arrested in Bathinda.
In Amritsar, about 10 to 12 protesters were seen asking shopkeepers between Hall Gate to Golden Temple to close down. While the market was closed down, police acted swiftly and detained the protesters and took them to the local police station.
All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) also joined the protest and criticised the SAD-BJP alliance government for allegedly playing with the sentiments of Sikhs on religious matter.
AISSF head Karnail Singh accused the government of interfering in the religious affairs of Sikhs. “The government is trying to divert the attention of the people from other important issues including the pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the high priests,” he said.
Several hardliners took out a protest march in Moga town demanding immediate action against those responsible for the incident of desecration.
As a mark of solidarity with the protestors, volunteers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sported black bands at various places in Hoshiarpur.
In the industrial town of ludhiana, the bandh by Sikh organisations evoked a mixed response. “Around 150 protestors mainly of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) were taken into custody by the police when they tried to sit on a dharna at Jodhewal,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Narinder Bhargava.
There was a complete bandh in Phagwara, the officials said. Activists of Sikh bodies took out a protest rally on scooters and motorcycles in Phagwara city.
Sikh organisations are demanding action against those behind the incident of tearing of 150 pages of the holy book.
Punjab government, a day before, announced a reward of Rs one crore for any person providing information on those who committed the sacrilege. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also announced a judicial probe into the violent protest in Faridkot district.
In Amritsar, a complete bandh was observed in areas around the Golden Temple where all the shops and business establishments remained closed. However, in the Civil lines area and in rest of Amritsar city there was no impact of the bandh.
Meanwhile, Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Dhuma demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the two persons killed in the clash. He also demanded Rs five lakh each for those injured in the violence. He also appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony in the state.
ADGP law and Order Rohit Choudhary said: “Bandh remained peaceful as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.”