Kabaddi World Cup cancelled after violence in Punjab

As per reports, central forces were stationed at Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Tarn Taran.

Over half-dozen instances of desecration of the holy book of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib, within a span of a couple of weeks in Punjab could not have been merely a coincidence. But more immediately, the daily blockades and the government’s incapacity to bring normalcy raise questions about a state’s basic mandate – it must at least provide public order and security. Sikhs overseas have also passed resolutions that no Akali and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) leaders or jathedars would be allowed to address from gurdwara stages in their countries.

Even as the anger grew against the Badal-led government, the police claimed to have made breakthroughs in the cases of sacrilege solving five of the seven such instances.

Gadh said the government can not blame the protesters for the violence in the state. Indian Punjab police said that the alleged criminals apprehended have links with people in Australia and Dubai.

A council member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Akhtar Baloch, asserted that it was not only the Sikh community but people of all faiths including the Dalits, Muslims and Christians who had been persecuted in India time and again.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) which had been instituted to probe the Guru Granth Sahib desecration incidents across the state, concluded that “the accused became soft targets of anti-national forces due to greed and ambition of becoming rich”.

The police had to resort to water cannons and barricades to stop the protesters.

Indian police walk through a market area, where Sikh demonstrators had forced a shutdown of shops, in Amritsar on October 19, 2015.

The protests, called by Sikh groups, are being held against the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib possibly by Hindu fanatics in Punjab.

The man identified as Malkit Singh (34) of village Bule Nangal was taken away by three youths who are not traceable, police said.

Sources said the Home Minister gave him a patient hearing and told him that he has already spoken to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and reviewed with him the prevailing situation in the state.

Rupinder was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana after being injured in a clash with police in Kotkapura last week.