Protestor killed; curfew relaxed in Jalandhar

A protestor was killed by a SAD municipal councillor allegedly in self defence after being attacked in the district where authorities relaxed curfew, clamped in the wake of largescale violence following the killing of a sect leader in Vienna, for two hours today.     

A mob allegedly attacked councillor Balbir Singh Bittu, SAD Councilor of Ward No. 11, late last night and burnt his car, police sources said.  

Bittu, in self-defence, opened fire at the mob, in which one of the protestors identified as Vijay was killed, they said.  

Meanwhile, curfew in the district continued today and relaxation of two hours was given to the residents.  

"We have given two hours relaxation in the curfew i.e. 0800 hours to 1000 hours for the people, so that they can buy essential commodities", Deputy Commissioner A S Pannu, told PTI.  

Asked about the situation in the district, Pannu said that barring few incidents of violence, the situation remained tense but under control.

Pannu said that national highway passing through the district has been cleared for traffic but restoration of rail traffic would take some more time.  

Jalandhar is a stronghold of Dera Sach Khand, a Sikh sect comprised of mainly Dalits who took to the streets in protest against the death of one of their gurus Sant Raman Nand during a clash between rival Sikh communities in a Vienna Gurudwara.