News In Brief

Punjab State in India reels under Sikh protest strike

A Sikh protest strike shut down the north Indian state of Punjab Wednesday and police clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators in the city of Amritsar, leaving at least six wounded and 35 under arrest.

In the industrial town of Jalandhar, police fired shots in the air to rout demonstrators demanding regional autonomy and formal designation of Amritsar as a holy city.

Road and rail traffic stopped, and most factories, stores, banks, and government offices were closed.