Situation Bettering in Punjab, Violence in Harayana
Punjab is gradually returning to normalcy after rioting and arson occurred in various towns and cities of the state over alleged killing of sect leader in Vienna, except that a minor incidence of protestors clashing police in Muktsar district was reported. However, violence was reported in some areas of Harayana.
Curfew was imposed in Malout in Muktsar district of Punjab after Dera Sachkhand followers pelted stones on the police and damaged the vehicle of the Additional Deputy Commissioner following which police used canes and fired in the air to quell the demonstrators.
As for other towns and cities, curfew imposed yesterday was lifted in most of the places in Ludhiana and relaxed in Hoshiarpur, Phagwara and Jalandhar, the hub of Dera Sachkhand whose followers had indulged in largescale violence yesterday after the attack on Dera leaders in Vienna.
According to information, a protester was killed late last night when an SAD councillor fired in “self defence” in Jalandhar after his car was attacked and set on fire. With this, the death toll in the violence in Punjab rose to three.
In Haryana, protestors clashed with police near Parade ground on Ambala-Jagadhri road and damaged a building of the Municipal Committee in Jagadhri town in Yamunagar district.
Police fired eight rounds in the air to disperse a mob in Jagadhri, where protestors also damaged a Government Senior Secondary School building besides eight cars belonging to the school staff and some motorcycles.
Police and Army patrolling in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Hoshiarpur continued in Punjab for the second day today even as officials said that the situation in the state was tense but under control.
