Two more dead in Punjab violence

In Muktsar,400-500 dera followers attacked police personnel deployed outside Ravi Dass Bhavan after they held a prayer meeting for Sant Ramanand at a local gurdwara. They were soon joined by local residents,who also pelted stones,forcing the police to lathicharge and then open fire on the mob.

In Phagwara,protesters attacked the farmhouse of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Jarnail Singh Wahid and set fire to his wheat chaff stock,while in Faridkot,a group of nearly 300 followers of the sect marched through the city bazaar and handed over a memorandum to DC V K Meena,demanding action against those guilty of killing Sant Ramanand.

A four-hour curfew relaxation in Ludhiana from 10 am to 2 pm passed off peacefully,except for a solitary incident of stone pelting. Security remained heavy.

Traffic blocks and protest marches were held at many places in the state,with nine in Jalandhar alone,despite the curfew. Educational institutions were also closed in Amritsar,Gurdaspur and Nawanshahr,besides the cities under curfew.

In Haryana,meanwhile,the violence spread from Ambala to other towns as well. Worst hit was Jagadhri,where protesters went on a rampage,damaging vehicles and clashing with the police.