The Centre swung into action on Thursday night, rushing para-military forces to Punjab where clashes between supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs claimed a life, and to Sirsa, in Haryana, where the group is headquartered.

Forces have also been earmarked for some areas in Delhi with a higher Sikh population.

As tension mounted in Punjab, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal spoke to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and sought 50 companies of central forces.

The Centre, which is monitoring the situation closely, despatched companies of Rapid Action Force, CRPF and BSF to Punjab and Haryana to ensure that the situation is under control.

Sources in the Home Ministry said the forces were being sent to assist the local police in maintaining law and order, which was deteriorating following clashes between the cadres of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs.

The para-military forces in the national capital have been deployed after tensions in pockets having sizeable Sikh population like Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri, parts of walled city and Central Delhi.

Earlier, the Centre issued advisories to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to keep security forces on alert in the wake of clashes between Dera followers and Sikhs in the past few days.

Parts of Punjab and Haryana continued to be tense for the fourth day on Thursday, due to the stand-off between Sikhs and Dera followers even as Sikh high priests called for a social boycott of the controversial religious group.