Punjab bandh fizzles out

The Punjab bandh call given by Dhyan Singh Mand, who was announced "Jathedar" of Akal Takht by the recently held 'Sarbat Khalsa', fizzled out today.
According to reports available, shops, commercial and other establishments and educational institutions functioned normally.
Besides, there was no impact on road and rail traffic, which also plied normally, officials said.
Reports from many other parts of Punjab including Amritsar, Mohali, Ropar, Phagwara, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur stated that the 'bandh' fizzled out and things functioned 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, reports said that police detained several Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) activists at many places today, including Fatehgarh Sahib, Phagwara, Sangrur and Hoshiarpur as a preventive measure, before being let off later.

Police sources said that two leaders of SAD (A) were 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.
SAD(A) President and former MP, 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' commenced from Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Nimmawal Chowk, along Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road.