Sikhs take out a protest march against desecration of their holy book the Guru Granth Sahib, in Amritsar yesterday.

IANS
Chandigarh

Hundreds of Sikhs continued to block roads in the Malwa belt of south-west Punjab yesterday to protest a recent incident of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib.
The protesters blocked roads in Moga and Bathinda districts and demanded action against those involved in the desecration of the Sikh holy book.
A ‘bir’ (holy book) was allegedly desecrated in Bargari village, 15km from Kotkapura, leading to tension in the area on Monday. Over 100 pages of the holy book were found scattered in a street near a gurdwara. The holy book was stolen from a gurdwara in June.
Meanwhile, tension continued to prevail in parts of south-west Punjab yesterday as well.
Some roads, including state highways, were blocked by the protesters carrying black flags and placards. Some youths brandished swords and sticks.
In Moga town, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed.
At least two people were killed and nearly 70 injured, including police officials, on Wednesday in bloody clashes between police and protesting Sikhs near Kotkapura town in Punjab’s Faridkot district, 230km from here.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal offered prayers at ‘Harmandar Sahib’, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar yesterday for peace and communal harmony in the state.
“I have come here to pray for peace and amity in Punjab,” Badal told reporters.
Badal said some forces inimical to Punjab’s progress were bent upon destroying the hard earned peace in the state.
Congress leader Amarinder Singh yesterday visited the families of the two people killed in police firing near Kotkapura earlier this week.