More violence as Jats intensify stir for quota, Curfew clamped

According to unconfirmed reports, two protesters who were squatting on a rail track were crushed under a goods train near Uklana here but Government Railway Police DSP Ishwar Singh said they had no such information. Police also denied knowledge of the incident.

In view of the volatile situation, curfew has been clamped in entire Hisar district, Deputy Commissioner Yudhvir Khyalia said. Activists of Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti, demanding quota for the community under the OBC category, blocked several roads in the district. Traffic on the Hisar-Delhi National Highway 10 was suspended.

Mobs torched a State Bank of India branch at Hisar Cantt, building of a cooperative bank in Agroha town here and HP Cotton mill as well as two buses of the company.
A petrol pump, which was lying closed, had also been damaged by the mob here, police said, adding an attempt had also been made by the mob to set a petrol pump afire in Agroha.

Army's help has been sought, officials said, adding that additional police forces have been deployed in the district where violence erupted after a person was killed allegedly in police firing on protesters yesterday. Central forces including the Rapid Action Force (RAF) had been deployed in sensitive areas.

Samiti President Yash Pal Malik has warned the central and state governments that if its demand for quota was not met by October 3, the Samiti will intensify its agitation and block all the roads leading to Delhi.

The All-India Jat Mahasabha has announced that its members will organise a token hunger strike tomorrow at all the district headquarters of the state to press for the demand. The Haryana Government had yesterday ordered a magisterial inquiry into killing of man allegedly in police firing and transferred Hisar Superintendent of Police Subhash Yadav, who was booked along with some other policemen under section 302 of the IPC (murder).

However, president of Jat Mahasabha Om Prakash Mann demanded the arrest of the SP. "The situation is critical here. Until the SP is arrested, we will not cremate the body (of the victim)," he said.