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Demonstrators killed in rioting in India

Published: Monday 25 May 2009 12:42 UTC
Last updated: Monday 25 May 2009 13:49 UTC
Two demonstrators have died in rioting in the Indian province of Punjab. The demonstrators took to the streets after a guru was killed in a Sikh temple in Vienna. A second guru was injured when six rival Sikhs attacked two gurus who were at the temple to give a service.

The two were from a low-caste Sikh sect which has a large following in parts of Punjab and had travelled to Vienna to conduct a special service. Eyewitnesses said fundamentalist Sikhs from a higher caste attacked the preachers, who, they believed, were disrespectful of the Sikh holy book.

In Punjab police used tear gas and fired shots to disperse the demonstrators. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for calm.