ROHTAK: As the city limbs back to normal after a tough, violent week during the Jat quota stir, the army on Saturday left with all its 10 columns, comprising 75-77 men each, giving charge to the city police once again.
HT FILEThe army left Rohtak with all its 10 columns on Saturday, giving the charge to the city police.The army had come in the city on February 20 when situation went out of control and city police failed to curb incidents of violence and robbery. Even when the administration declared curfew in Rohtak and army had ordered shoot and sight, cases of violence continued unabated, leaving the army clueless.
While talking to HT, army commander Brig Arun Yadav admitted that their operation in Rohtak had been tough. “The operation in Rohtak was a difficult as we reached the city on February 20 with minimum resources. We had no time to understand the situation. The moment we reached, we started the operation without any delay,” Yadav said.
On being asked whether the army had orders to shoot the agitators, he said: “The situation in Rohtak was not classical. It was not what you read in the books about protests. The moment the civil magistrate hands over the situation to the army, we get shooting orders. But we did not shoot anyone because when we reached, the shops were already burning and the crowd had already started dispersing. We did not witness anyone committing a crime or killing anyone as they were running away. If we had shot at that time, the chances of killing an innocent man would have increased.”
He said at times when they were patrolling, things got “dangerously closed” as they could not recognise who was doing what. “Shopkeepers had come to their shops and they were checking their things. At that time, it became difficult to analyse who was a perpetrator and who was genuine.”
On army drawing flak from the shopkeepers and residents, Yadav said: “If I were a shopkeeper whose shop was burned, I would have wanted to shoot everyone at that time. But as an army man, it was my duty to restore the much-needed peace rather than taking a chance and shooting at innocent public.”
About the reports of the differences between the police and the army, Yadav said their team received enough support from the police. However, he said he would not like to comment on why the situation turned ugly in the city.
Yadav said their mission was to stop the violence and not to shoot people, which he said was achieved. He said if they had used violence, more people would have had come out in different parts of the state, which could have created a bigger problem.