Punjab bandh called by Sikh groups fails to evoke response

Barring stray incidents, normal life was today unaffected in Punjab due to the bandh called by some Sikh groups against Akal Takht's decision to pardon Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for his alleged blasphemous act in 2007.
Most of the commercial establishments, shops, schools were open while rail and road traffic was not affected due to the four-hour long bandh called by by Akali Dal (United) and Akali Dal (Mann), reports quoting officials said here.
Most of the Sikh hardline groups, inclduing Dal Khalsa and Damdami Taksal, did not participate in the bandh called by SAD (Amritsar) head Simranjit Singh Mann and SAD (united) head Mokham Singh.

In the wake of the bandh call, police rounded up at least 500 hardliners from different places to maintain law and order, officials said.
Heavy police force, accompanied by black commandos, was deployed in strength at all the strategic locations across the state, officials said.
A report from Ludhiana and Amritsar said that all main markets, banks, factories, local transport were functioning normally.

DIG Ludhiana police range A K Mittal said the situation in Khanna and Ludhiana rural was peaceful. "There was no report of any untoward incident in his range," he added.
However, a report from Moga said that many shops and commercial establishments remained shut.

Police resorted to cane-charge in Moga after a group of about 50 activists of various Sikh outfits forced shopkeepers to close their shops.
The shops were open in the morning but after the police used force, shopkeepers decided to pull down their shutters to protect their properties from getting damaged.
"Police force has been deployed in front of Gurdwaras at Dharmakot, Kot Ise Khan, Moga, Baghapurana and Nihal Singh Wala," said Harjit Singh Pannu, Superintendent Police (D) Moga.
Faridkot police also conducted raid at the residence of All India Sikh Students Federation president Karnail Singh Peermohammed.