Punjab bandh call given by Mand fizzles out

The Punjab bandh call given by Dhyan Singh Mand, who was announced "Jathedar" of Akal Takht by the recently held 'Sarbat Khalsa', failed to make an impact today as many shops and other establishments were working as usual.
According to reports available till early afternoon, shops, commercial and other establishments and educational institutions were functioning normally.
Besides road and rail traffic was also plying as per normal, officials said.
Reports from many other parts of Punjab including Mohali, Ropar, Phagwara, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur stated that the bandh fizzled out and things were functioning as per their normal routine.
Talking to media here last week, Mand had appealed to the Sikh community to extend support to the bandh call against the alleged hegemony, autocratic and anti-Panthic attitude of the Parkash Singh Badal government.

Meanwhile, few reports said that police detained some Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (SAD (A)) activists at many places today, including Fatehgarh Sahib, as a preventive measure.

Police sources said that two leaders of SAD(A) had been detained in Phagwara as a preventive measure while six other activists were rounded up in Hoshiarpur.
Rajinder Singh Fauji, a state executive committee member of SAD(A) and Gurdial Singh Mannawali, a senior party leader, were picked up from their residences at village Narangshahpur (Nawanpind) and Mannawali in Phagwara this morning as a preventive step, they said.
When contacted, Phagwara DSP Manpreet Singh Dhillon confirmed the measure and said that the two leaders would be released in the evening.

SAD(A) President Simranjit Singh Mann had also given a call for today's bandh.
A report from Phagwara said rather bazaars were decorated with erection of arched gates to welcome the 'nagar kirtan' on the eve of 'avtar purb' of Guru Nanak Dev.
The day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism every year.
The 'nagar kirtan' will commence from Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Nimmawal Chowk, along Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road.