Ludhiana (February 28, 2010): The CBI has filed a fresh murder case against the head of dera sauda sirsa, and reacting violantly over it dera supporters went on a rampage setting ablaze four trains and around 37 vehicles, including 27 buses, and vandalized property in several places in Punjab and Haryana.
Tension ran high in many towns in the two neighbouring states as police were put on high alert and Haryana requisitioned 1,500 para-military personnel to deal with the situation. The protesters set afire a compartment each of the Ferozepur-Ludhiana Sutlej Express, the Narwana-Kurukshetra train and two local trains after asking the passengers to disembark, a railway spokesman said. They also vandalised railway property at Tapa, Moga and Kalaiyat in Punjab, he said.
It is notable that deras often indulge in such a kind of violence and arson activities but still find favor of Indian state and its organs. But on the other hand since the initiation of controversy with dera sauda in 2007, the Sikhs always remained peaceful while expressing their anger; they never damaged any public property nor indulged in arson, still the State suppress them harshly.