<P> For the next two days, the city of Amritsar was quiet, but violence continued in other parts of the Punjab . Railway lines were cut, telegraph posts destroyed, government buildings burnt, and three Europeans murdered . By 13 April, the British government had decided to put most of the Punjab under martial law . The legislation restricted a number of civil liberties, including freedom of assembly; gatherings of more than four people were banned . </P> <P> On the evening of 12 April, the leaders of the hartal in Amritsar held a meeting at the Hindu College - Dhab Khatikan . At the meeting, Hans Raj, an aide to Dr. Kitchlew, announced a public protest meeting would be held at 16: 30 the following day in the Jallianwala Bagh, to be organised by a Dr. Muhammad Bashir and chaired by a senior and respected Congress Party leader, Lal Kanhyalal Bhatia . A series of resolutions protesting against the Rowlatt Act, the recent actions of the British authorities and the detention of Drs . Satyapal and Kitchlew was drawn up and approved, after which the meeting adjourned . </P> <P> At 9: 00 on the morning of 13 April, the traditional festival of Baisakhi, Colonel Reginald Dyer, the acting military commander for Amritsar and its environs, proceeded through the city with several city officials, announcing the implementation of a pass system to enter or leave Amritsar, a curfew beginning at 20: 00 that night and a ban on all processions and public meetings of four or more persons . The proclamation was read and explained in English, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi, but few paid it any heed or appear to have learned of it later . Meanwhile, the local CID had received intelligence of the planned meeting in the Jallianwala Bagh through word of mouth and plainclothes detectives in the crowds . At 12: 40, Dyer was informed of the meeting and returned to his base at around 13: 30 to decide how to handle it . </P> <P> By mid-afternoon, thousands of Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus had gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh (garden) near the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar . Many who were present had earlier worshipped at the Golden Temple, and were passing through the Bagh on their way home . The Bagh was (and is) an open area of six to seven acres, roughly 200 yards by 200 yards in size, and surrounded by walls roughly 10 feet in height . Balconies of houses three to four stories tall overlooked the Bagh, and five narrow entrances opened onto it, several with locked gates . During the rainy season, it was planted with crops, but served as a local meeting - area and playground for much of the year . In the center of the Bagh was a samadhi (cremation site) and a large well partly filled with water which measured about 20 feet in diameter . </P>

Who banned all public meetings and procession in amritsar