NAWANSHEHAR: Following the local police Tuesday rounded up the leaders of Action Committee formed to pursue the case of murder of a youth of Balachaur, Sandeep alias Sehti, the tension prevailed in various parts of Balachaur including Pojewal and Kathgarh.

As per reports, at around 11 am this morning, police took around 50 persons who had gathered at Khalsa school grounds for a protest march, in custody and took them away in buses to Mukandpur and Kathgarh. The protest march was chalked out by the Action Committee yesterday. According to Darshan Singh Mattoo, a senior leader of the area, this infuriated the people esp. the Gujjars to whom the deceased belonged. The agitated people soon resorted to blockades in Pojewal, Rattewal, Bhaddi and Kathgarh.

The blockades continued for over three hours, said reports. Mattoo who squarely blamed the administration for today's developments, said that soon after a deputation comprising himself, Balvir Jadla, Chaudhary Achhar Singh, Shri Ram Baju, Janak Singh, Prem Singh Rana, Subhash Chaudhary, among others, met the Balachaur SDM and demanded immediate release of leaders taken into custody by the police. A rally was also held in the Balachaur Complex on this occasion, said Mattoo, adding that following their talks with the administration, the leaders were released by the police in the afternoon.

Mattoo further said that now to chalk out further course of action, a gathering of people of the area has been called at Saini Palace in Balachaur tomorrow. Incidents of mild cane charge by the police and stone pelting by the residents were also reported from some areas today.