Curfew clamped in Dabwali after Sacha Sauda-Sikh clash

Dabwali (Sirsa), Jul 18 (UNI) Indefinite curfew was clamped in this sub divisional town bordering Punjab following clashes between Dera Sacha Sauda supporters and members of a local Sikh religious group in which one person was killed this morning.

The curfew was clamped at 1100 hrs after members of the Satkar Sabha, a Sikh religious group went on the rampage after the killing of Sukhminder Singh, a member of the group by Sacha Sauda supporters.

The rampaging Satkar Sabha members torched 15 shops and three houses belonging to Dera supporters and pelted stones at Haryana police personnel who had been called out to restore law and order.

According to official reports a number of policemen and even Deputy Commissioner V Uma Shankar sustained minor injuries in the stone pelting. The police personel in full anti-riot gear showed a great deal of restraint in controlling the angry mob.

On the orders of the district administration, besides personnel of the Haryana police and Haryana Armed police, two companys each of the Rapid Action Force (RPF) and the BSF have been deployed in the town where the situation was described as tense but under control.

Reports quoting the Deputy Commissioner said that the administration has decided to call out the army to maintain law and order.

Meanwhile, as reports of the clash spread through Punjab, Sikhs came out to protest in various cities and towns of the border state.

In Kaurthala, a group of 50 people blocked traffic outside the bus stand here to protest against the killing of the Sikh in the Haryana town and demanded arrest of the alleged culprits.

In Moga town in Punjab police carried out a flag march and appealed to the people to maintain law and order.

In Bathinda, various Sikh organisations went around the town asking the shopkeepers to down their shutters. The organisations have given a call for a bandh in Bathinda tomorrow. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandik Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar is stated to be heading towards Dabwali.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal condemned the clash.

In a statement, issued at Chandigarh, Mr Badal termed the incident ''extremely sad and unfortunate'' and appealed to the peace loving people of Punjab to maintain communal harmony and amity.

He urged the Haryana government to take immediate action under the law against all the guilty. He also appealed to the people to exercise restraint despite provocation by some anti social elements who were bent upon tarnishing the social fabric of society.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal assailed the Dabwali incident and demanded immediate arrest of the alleged culprits responsible for this unfortunate incident.

In a statement Mr Sukhbir Badal appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony, peace and goodwill in this hour of crisis. He said that Punjabis' had always shown rare restraint in such difficult circumstances.

Giving details of...(Picking up from Para 1, Line 1 of DR 44 CRIME-HARYANA-FOURTH LEAD CLASH TWO LAST DABWALI) UNI HS AM RAI2017