Amritsar, Punjab (June 06, 2014): The city of Amritsar observed a near complete bandh (shut-down) on 6 June 1984 – on 30th anniversary of Indian Army’s attack on Darbar Sahib. The shut-down call was given by Sikh nationalist body Dal Khalsa.

According to information hundreds of activists of Sikh Youth of Punjab (SYP) took out “Ghallughra” (holocaust) memorial march on Thursday evening (5 June) in Amritsar city.

Alerted by the move the Amritsar police, earlier today, rounded up Dal Khalsa and Sikh Youth of Punjab activists at Bhai Gurdas Hall. Dal Khalsa leaders Kanwar Pal Singh Bittu, Satnam Singh Paunta Sahib and SYP chief Nobeljit Singh, besides several other activists of Sikh Youth of Punjab were held in confinement till late evening.

The police move was aimed at preventing Sikh activists from “enforcing” a shut-down in Amritsar, but the city observed near complete shut-down without any special efforts on part of any Sikh organization.

While talking to the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) over phone, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said that the people suo-moto responded the bandh call. He said that the shut-down was completely peaceful.

As per certain reports the Amritsar police has arrested some Sikh youth who were holding a motor-cycle march in the city to the shut-down.

“We have received information that the police has arrested some Sikh youth in relation to today’s shut-down” said Kanwar Pal Singh.

He clarified that these persons were not members/ activist of the Dal Khalsa or the Sikh Youth of Punjab. He, however, demanded immediate release of the youth so arrested by the police.

“When the shut-down was de-facto and peaceful, there was no reason for the police to keep such youth behind the bars. They should be immediately released” he said.

The bandh was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported, however clashes broke out between supporters of Shiromani Akali Dal Mann and SGPC task force members inside Darbar Sahib complex.