Sikh groups hold protests across Punjab

Several passenger and long distance trains were cancelled and a few trains from Amritsar, Pathankot and Jammu Tawi rescheduled, Railway officials said. Hundreds of pilgrims on way to Vaishno Devi and Amarnath shrines in Jammu and Kashmir were stranded when a train from Jabalpur to Jammu-Tawi was stopped at Chaheru in Phagwara.

Radical Sikh groups, including the Damdami Taksal, and the SAD Amritsar, had called for a 8220;rail roko8221; demanding the arrest of the Dera chief.

8220;The situation is tense. The cancellation of trains has affected people like us very badly. I have no option but to take a bus to Ahmedabad. The journey by road not only takes more time but is very uncomfortable,8221; said Amarjit Singh, a passenger.

Shalini, an engineering aspirant, said she was supposed to reach Delhi for her counselling but had to postpone her journey as the Shatabdi Express was cancelled. 8220;I have no idea when I would be able to get my next appointment. The counselling meant a lot to me,8221; she said.

Jalandhar Railway Station Superintendent Ashok Kumar said 8220;We are refunding the money to passengers for those trains that have been cancelled due to the protests.8221;

Protestors also stopped the Delhi-Lahore 8220;Sada-e-Sarhad8221; bus at Beas, about 45 km from Amritsar. However, after a five-hour delay, it was allowed to carry on with its journey to Pakistan.

Sikhs also held a peaceful protest march at Fatehabad in Haryana demanding action against the Dera chief. However, the situation at Sirsa, where the Dera headquarters is located, remained peaceful with Haryana Police intensifying security arrangements.

The Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Fatehabad submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, demanding action against the Dera chief.

Hissar Commissioner of Police P C Bidhan and IGP A K Dhull jointly addressed a meeting of BSF and RAF companies deployed at Sirsa. Later, they appealed to the Sikhs and Dera followers to maintain peace and communal amity in the district.

Dhull said the entire district has been divided in 11 zones and 2 duty magistrates have been appointed head of the local peace committee. The peace committee was constituted after the Dera-Sikh strife in May last year.

With PTI