Situation tense in Punjab; road blockades continue

Punjab today continued to simmer over incidents of sacrilege with Sikh activists blocking key roads at many places and paramilitary forces taking out flag marches in sensitive areas.

Police detained two MLA brothers from Ludhiana Simrajit Bains and Balwinder Singh in Ludhiana when they were proceeding to Chandigarh to gherao the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, police said.

While Simarjit was detained at Katanikalan, his brother Balwinder was detained at Vardhman chowk. Along with them, 21 of their supporters were also detained.

In the wake of the sensitive situation prevailing in the state after a spate of sacrilege incidents, paramilitary forces have been deployed in four districts -Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Tarn Taran.

A report from Phagwara said several Sikh activists blocked Phagwara-Banga-Nawanshahar road near Mehlimudhali village, causing inconvenience to commuters.

In Amritsar, protesters blocked a road at Amritsar-Jalandhar bypass and Harike in Tarn Taran, demanding action against those who indulged in the sacrilege.

Some persons also blackened the poster of SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar at Lahorigate, police said.

Yesterday, Punjab Police had arrested two brothers in connection with an incident of sacrilege.

The two identified as Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, of Panjgrain village of Faridkot were arrested in connection with the first incident of sacrilege in the state in Bargari village in Faridkot, where a violent clash between police and Sikh protesters left two persons killed.