NANKANA SAHIB, Sept 27: Life is back to normal here after Saturday's anti-Sikh violence, described as the first in centuries, as police patrolled the town to check any untoward incident.

Tension which ran high till a day before eased following a meeting on Monday which was attended by representatives of both the communities and officials from the Punjab government's different departments besides 300 students.

"The issue has been resolved. The government has assured the students of the Guru Nanak Government College that they won't be displaced until a separate building is arranged for them," police inspector Ghulam Dastgeer, who heads the security at the main gate of Janam Asthaan, told Dawn. "No more tension prevails here."

The conflict is rooted in a Punjab government decision regarding the handing over of the college to the Janam Asthaan administration for its use as a guest house for visiting Sikh pilgrims.

Over 1,000 students of the college had gathered in front of the Janam Asthaan on Saturday and after being addressed by various local level leaders, they attacked the Sikhs worship places. Two windows and glasses of the Janam Asthaan and main gates of some of their other worship places were damaged in the attack.

"I don't believe it was a Muslim-Sikh conflict," Mastan Singh, an administrator of the Janam Asthaan said. He believed that some mischief mongers had attempted to exploit the situation. Neither any notice was issued to the college administration nor its students were asked to vacate the building, he said.

Mr Singh identified four people, including two lawyers, as main culprits who instigated students and others. "They made announcements in mosques that Muslim community's honour was at stake.

They instigated the people for their own interests." He said that he and other administrators had requested the authorities concerned to initiate an action against these people, and many others who had attempted to sabotage the centuries-old peace in this region.

Nam Singh, another Janam Asthaan administrator, regretted that nothing had so far been decided about the Sikhs wounded by the protesters. One of them is in critical condition, he claimed. "We would like to get a case registered against people responsible."

However, Sheikhupura District Police Officer Shahid Iqbal said that a case had already been registered against over 100 people, who had tried to create a law and order situation. No arrest has so far been made, he added.

Abdul Karim Tabassum, the college principal, said that the students who had attended the meeting regretted whatever they had done with the Sikh community with whom their forefathers had been living like brothers. "We had been misled," he quoted the students as having admitted.

Mr Tabassum said that he had never expected his students to go to that extent. Nor he wanted them to take such a step, he claimed. "Today we met administration and Sikhs and tendered an apology," the principal said.

He said that some people whom he would not like to identify had been trying to make the issue for the last three months. The principal said that he had received several letters from all concerned departments like education, evacuee trust and DCO office. All letters had mentioned the government decision and none had demanded an immediate shifting of the students.

The principal was not in favour of any arrests of those nominated in the FIR. "I don't think it is needed now. We should concentrate on promoting brotherhood in the town."