Phagwara, May 22
The town observed a complete bandh on a call given by Akal Takht against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh here today. All roads wore a deserted look. Government and private buses remained off the road, putting the public to much inconvenience.

Several Sikh youth organisations held noisy demonstrations against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief and burnt his effigy near the rest house after protest marches in the town. The Tribune team visited several areas in the town and found bazars deserted. Similar scenes were witnessed at the railway station as hardly any passengers could be seen travelling by trains. Railway platforms were found vacant but the rail services continued normally.

Railway sources told this correspondent that only four trains, including 5JH,7JH, 8JH and 10JH, were cancelled on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur section on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a few hooligans ransacked two shops at Khalwara Colony and Pandori village where they damaged a tempo and beat up the owner of a wine shop for opening the shop. The police has rounded up six Nihangs in this connection.

Tight police arrangements had been made in the town and Phagwara DSP HPS Khakh supervised the security arrangements, while SDM Amarjit Paul took rounds of the towns to assess the situation.

NAWANSHAHR: A complete and peaceful bandh was observed in the district on a call by Akal Takht against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. Activists of the various panthic organisations, riding on cars, motor cycles, scooters, etc and raising slogans, passed through the bazars of different towns in the district. Kirpans, however, were not brandished.

District BJP president Ashwani Ballagan had expressed concern over the brandishing of kirpans and alleged raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at some places in the town here during Monday’s protest march at an all-party meeting.Government offices, though remained open, the usual hustle and bustle was missing. The police had made elaborate security arrangements. No untoward incident was reported in the district, SSP B. Chandra Shekher said.

BATALA: There was a complete and peacefull bandh here on Tuesday in and around Batala.

All the government, educational and commercial establishments, except the banks, remained closed in view of the bandh call given by Sikh organisations.

The roads and streets bore a curfew-like situation.

Phillaur, May 22
Satnam Singh Kainth, president of Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM), appealed to all parties not to polticise Dera controversy and follow the directions of Shri Akal Takht. Talking to newsmen, Kainth said some parties were trying to get mileage from this unfortunate episode. He inspired the activists belonging to various political, social and religious organisations to come forward for the strengthening of communal harmony and brotherhood.

He said no anti-national element should be allowed to pump in their activities under the cover of this episode. He said the matter should be solved amicably with table talks. However, he strongly clarified nobody could be allowed to play with the religious sentiments of any community. 

Phagwara, May 22
Large number of cardboard rolls and other machinery worth lakhs were totally destroyed in fire which broke out in the Shivpuri locality here this morning.

The total loss was put at around Rs 7 lakh. It took the fire department staff over three hours to extinguish the fire.

Residents living nearby noticed smoke billowing out of the ventilators of the factory at around 9.30 am but were unable to find out the source of fire. They then informed a shop owner, Kasturi Lal.

The police was immediately informed and two fire tenders from the Phagwara fire brigade were rushed to the factory. Phagwara tehsildar, Amandeep Singh and naib tehsildar, Lekh Raj, also reached the spot on hearing the news.

As the fire department staff broke a portion of the windowpanes in order to extinguish the fire, they saw the extent of damage because of the packaging material lying in the factory and called for another fire tender from Jalandhar.

However, residents of the area resent the functioning of the local fire station that has been badly crippled due to shortage of staff and fire tenders for the past 10 years, putting the whole of Phagwara area in grave danger.

Phagwara, May 22
Two persons were killed on the spot while another sustained serious injuries when their car collided with a railway engine at an unmanned railway crossing near Jhande village here on Monday.

Traffic remained suspended on the track for over  one-and-a-half-hour due to the accident

The rail traffic remained suspended on the track for over one-and-a-half-hour due to the accident.

The deceased have been identified as Hardayal Singh, resident of Birmi village and his friend Tarsem Singh, resident of Pakhowal in Ludhiana. Jaswinder Singh of Kaile village, who sustained serious injuries, was brought to a private hospital from where he was referred to DMC, Ludhiana.

The trio was returning to Pakhowal after purchasing some tractor parts.

The car was badly crushed and it took GRP personnel a lot of time to extricate them.

Eyewitnesses said the railway engine was coming from Ludhiana side. According to the engine driver Tilak Raj the car suddenly appeared at the crossing and collided with the locomotive.

Shaken by the incident, he requested the officials to send another driver for the remaining journey.

The train left the place at around 5.30 pm amidst protests by the villagers who were demanding installation of a barrier at the crossing.

The railway authorities assured the residents that the barrier would be installed within a week. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident.