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Peace is fast returning to violence-hit Punjab and neighbouring Haryana with no untoward incident reported and curfew relaxation passing off peacefully in four cities on Wednesday.
Train services were restored in the state with many of them passing through it this morning. However, long-route buses were not plying as a precautionary measure but the services were expected to be restored shortly.
The three-hour curfew relaxation in Jalandhar, which was the worst hit by violence in the wake of the killing of a sect leader in Vienna, passed off peacefully, officials said.
Curfew was also relaxed in Hoshiarpur, Phagwara and Ludhiana, they said, adding no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.
Curfew remained in place in Malout town of Muktsar, they said, maintaining that it was likely to be relaxed.
No untoward incident was reported from Haryana, which also witnessed violent protests in Ambala, Yamunanagar and certain other places.
Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner A S Pannu said curfew would remain in force in the district for some more period as a precautionary measure and commercial and educational institutes would remain closed till further orders.
Security forces would continue to be deployed at several sensitive points, he added. Army had been called out following violence in Jalandhar, Phagwara and Hoshiarpur.
Punjab witnessed large-scale violence and arson after followers of Sikh religious sect Dera Sachkhand Ballan took to the streets since Sunday night in protest against the killing of their religious leader in a Vienna Gurudwara