R'than students face police lathicharge, many injured

In two separate incidents, Rajasthan police resorted to lathicharge on the protesting school students in Tonk district of Rajasthan and on the students of Rajasthan University protesting against the recent attack on Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal. 

Dozens of students sustained severe injuries in both the incidents and have been admitted to the hospital. The two incidents have become a major political issue in the state with opposition Congress targeting state government for allowingpolice atrocities.

At least 25 students were injured in the lathicharge at University of Rajasthan campus. Students belonging to particular community assembled at University campus under the banner of “Yuva Kisan Chatra Akrosh,” to gherao Jaipur police commissionerate, demanding arrest of those involved in the attack on Beniwal.

Police tried to stop the students following which they started pelting stones on police force. Students damaged around 10 vehicles of police after which police officials used force to disperse the students. Around 25 students were injured while 20 were detained for interrogation.

In another incident a day before,  police opened lathicharge as around 200 government school students blocked a highway here demanding appointment of teachers in their school in Tonk district. Three girls sustained severe injuries and have been admitted to  hospital.

The students of the senior secondary government school in Uniyara blocked Aligarh road demanding appointment of teachers. The school was upgraded to the level of senior secondary from this session and the students were demanding an early appointment of teachers.

Police have claimed that students pelted stones at them following which mild force was used to disperse them.

During the treatment of kids, a couple of police personnel reached the hospital which irked the local villagers who had gathered to show their sympathy for school kids. Irked villagers held police responsible for beating the school kids and tried to push them away. Providing protection to the police, hospital administration locked the police officials in a separate room.

Meanwhile, opposition Congress has blamed that ruling BJP has failed to curb crime in the state and on the contrary they are using police force on innocent students.

“It’s simply police atrocity and state government is promoting it to hide its incompetence to curb the crime rate. We condemn the police action on students in Tonk and Jaipur. We will raise this issue in public and will stage a dharna, if necessary,” said Rameshwar Dudi, Leader of Opposition.