Delhi-Ambala highway cleared; 3 killed in firing
AT QUOTA CHAOS
Toll 19, curfew in Hisar after clashes, army opens fire in Sonepat, govt to give ` 10 lakh relief to kin of those killed, blockades in Rohtak lifted
CHANDIGARH/SONEPAT/ROHTAK: Belying the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government’s hopes of a quick end to the quota stir after the Centre agreed to all demands of Jats a day ago, violence continued in Jat-dominated districts on Monday as three protesters were killed in firing at Larsholi village of Sonepat district, taking the toll to 19.
RAVI KUMAR/HTSoldiers keeping a vigil at Siwah village along national highway-1 near Panipat on Monday.Curfew was clamped in Hisar town and five villages of the district and shoot-on-sight orders were issued as Jat agitators indulged in violent protests.
Though the state police with assistance from the army managed to take control of the damaged portion of Munak canal — the lifeline of water supply to the national capital — in the morning, the respite was shortlived as Jat protesters blocked the canal gates at Khubru village in Sonepat district.
However, the state government got the arterial Delhi-Ambala national highway (NH-1) cleared as blockades at Larsholi, Biswameel and Kamaspur in Sonepat district were lifted. Sonepat deputy commissioner Rajiv Rattan said blockades on NH-1 have been removed. “The road is clear for traffic movement,” he added.
Another major highway linking Rohtak to Delhi was cleared as protesters lifted blockade at Sampla, MDU and several other places. The blockade was lifted after All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti decided to take back stir following an appeal by the state and central ministers. “We have lifted our blockades from Ramayan and Mayyar also. The remaining blockades will be removed by Tuesday mor ning,” samiti leader Ram Bhagat Malik said. Though the protesters have withdrawn from roads and rail tracks at some places, the AIJASS decision doesn’t mean everyone would respond to its call. The state-wide agitation by disparate groups of Jats does not have a clear leader.
“We don’t know who is leading the stir at different places and how to reach out to them, but efforts are on. Hopefully, they will understand that their demands have been met,” a senior IAS officer said. But a more serious worry of the authorities is the deep caste divide created by the agitation which has led to skirmishes between Jats and non-Jats in places such as Kalanaur, Hansi, Gohana and Jhajjar. “There is no way to know the next trouble spot. A minor incident can trigger an all-out fight,” he said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Ram Bilas Sharma said that an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh would be given to next of kin of “innocent persons” killed in the ongoing agitation with employment to a family member.
Sources said three people were killed in firing as the army — which landed in Sonepat education city via choppers —tried to lift the blockade from NH-1 at Larsholi village.
Police also cane-charged protesters at Hasangarh village. The Sonepat police are also struggling to lift blockade from Beeswameel. Fresh violence was reported in Rohtak district where protesters allegedly torched official vehicle of the Meham sub-divisional magistrate. Meham is the constituency of Congress MLA Anand Singh Dangi. Police and army failed to remove blockade from several roads in the district.
The government on Monday said all educational institutions in Rohtak will remain closed till February 25.
Sources said more than 150 protesters with covered faces turned up at the Red Square market in Hisar around 5.30pm and went on a rampage. They vandalised many shops in market, following which most of the shopkeepers downed their shutters. The youths fled the spot only after army and police personnel reached the spot to control the situation.
The blockade on road and rail tracks in several parts in Sonepat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Jind continued despite heavy deployment of the army in the region.
Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed outside the Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) to clear the area but the blockade continued. Tension prevailed in Kaithal where groups of Jats and non-Jats are confronting each other. The highways to Hisar and Chandigarh are also blocked.
The state government has decided to get an audio clip purportedly featuring professor Virender, a former political adviser ex-chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda examined. In the clip, a Sirsa man is being allegedly asked by Virender to flare up the ongoing Jat agitation in the state.