Op Bluestar anniversary: Amritsar bandh passes off peacefully, no untoward incident reported

Following a call given by the Dal Khalsa and other Sikh organisations, the call for Amritsar bandh evoked a complete response as all commercial establishments remained closed while heavy police force was deputed to thwart any untoward incident. All major roads in the city wore a deserted look.

SGPC employees and volunteers of Dharam Yudh Morcha besides Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said the pain of the incident was still fresh.

The shopkeepers observed a complete bandh till evening after which some traders started opening their shops. The radical outfit, which had given the bandh call, did not force shopkeepers to shut their shops.

All city roads characterised for unending flow of traffic, congestion and noise pollution, wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off roads throughout the day. Consequently, routine life was thrown out of gear as main retail markets, including shops and petrol pumps downed their shutters acceding to the bandh call. The bandh passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported.

Commercial hubs inside the walled city, including the Hall Gate, wholesale textile markets like Katra Ahluwalia, Shastri market, Tahli Wala Bazaar, Pratap Bazaar and nearby streets, were closed. Similarly, stationery items market, Mai Sewa Wala Bazaar, market for gold and silver ornaments, Guru Bazar, Bhandiyan Wala Bazaar, Chaurasti Attari and Batti Hatta were closed.

Grain markets like Daal Mandi, Mishri Bazaar, Swank Mandi, Wadi Dhab, Dhab Wasti Ram, Lachchmansar Chowk and surrounding areas were also found completely shut.

Markets on the GT road from the Link road outside the railway station up to Chheharta were completely closed. Upscale commercial establishments in the rest of the city were closed, too.

A strict police bandobast was in place as constables were deployed in a large numbers to man different parts of the city besides installing barricades on main roads.

Around 6,000 personnel of the Punjab Police were deployed in the city. Hundreds of cops of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) and force from the adjoining police districts were deployed to ensure that the bandh passes off peacefully.

The entire operation of buses at the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) came to a standstill. Similarly, the flow of visitors was at minimum at the Amritsar railway station.