4 dead in protests for caste benefits in northern India

Television images showed mobs wielding sticks rampaging through the streets in northern Haryana state, setting fire to a local government minister’s house and railway stations, damaging train tracks and blocking two key highways. The BJP’s third Haryana Jat, Captain Abhimanyu, was missing. The crisis at hand is reminiscent of the violent conflict at the Satlok Ashram of self-styled godman Rampal in November 2014.

“Even when they came to power, various leaders of the BJP have been speaking in different tones, which complicated things”.

At least three people were killed in firing by security forces on Friday in Rohtak.

Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan said youth have taken over the agitation.

Industry experts said new investors would not like to make fresh investment in the state which is facing lawlessness and violent protest in the wake of Jat stir.

Authorities clamped curfew and issued “shoot-at-sight” orders in the worst-affected Rohtak and Bhiwani districts on Friday evening. Besides a number of private vehicles, including 2-wheelers, four wheelers and a truck were damaged in the state.

The furniture, record room and other articles were set on fire at the railway station, which falls in the Jind-Panipat rail section, police said.

He again appealed to those agitating in the State to withdraw their agitation and return to their homes as the Government has accepted their demands.

“Valuable lives have been lost in the fire of reservation agitation in Haryana”. Agitators also blocked main railway track to Delhi in Sonepat district. Several trains were cancelled by Railway authorities.

The Press Trust of India news agency quoted a Haryana state government statement as saying that two more protesters were killed when security forces fired at them at they tried to torch vehicles and shops. He said numerous Army and paramilitary units were flown in by helicopter in view of the road blocks at many places. Earlier today, curfew was imposed in Sonipat and Gohana towns of Sonipat district. Four people died in Jhajjar and one in Kaithal.

Joint teams of the Army and the police on Saturday carried out a flag march in Bhiwani city. The Jat delegation told Rajnath Singh that the community has been deprived of benefits due to the lack of quota, especially in Haryana.

Coming out of the villages in large numbers, members of Jat community blocked all roads leading to the national capital by erecting barricades by deflating tyres of goods carriers and felling trees.

He said that a mob attacked a Haryana Police officer and other policemen near the Maharishi Dayanand University gate and held the hostage and more forces had to be sent to rescue them.

A Haryana government spokesman said that 154 first information reports have been registered and rowdy persons are being identified and stern action would be taken against them.

“One patient was brought dead at Jhajjar civil hospital with bullet injury in his head”, a Jhajjar civil hospital official said over phone, adding that six patients with firearm injuries were referred to PGIMS.