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Police deny report on caste conflict

Special Correspondent

It was a clash between two groups at Haryana village, says Additional DGP

CHANDIGARH: The Additional Director-General of Haryana Police (Law and Order), John V. George, said here on Thursday that it was unfortunate that a clash between two groups of people at Ghaso Kalan village in Jind district had been reported by a section of the media as a conflict between Dalits and Jats.

He said that in fact about 40-50 members of Krantikari Kisan Majdoor Union (KKMU), which had four or five followers in the village, wanted to hold a musical programme at Ghaso Kalan. After 8 p.m. the villagers objected to the loud music, but the members of KKMU were adamant and they took out a torchlight procession through the village streets and shouted slogans.

An altercation took place between the processionists and four persons. In the melee, shots were fired from a country-made pistol which hit one Randhir Singh on the leg. Three other persons identified as Ishwar Singh, Bani Singh and Jagdish also got injured. Mr. Randhir Singh had been admitted to the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak and others were under treatment at Civil Hospital, Narwana.

Mr. George said the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the Deputy Superintendent Police, Narwana rushed to the spot along with the local police and controlled the situation. They persuaded the agitated villagers and took legal action against the anti-social elements.

A First Information Report had been registered under section 148/149/307/353 and 323 of Indian Penal Code and section 25/54/59 of Arms Act on the basis of the statement given by Jagdish. The police have rounded up about 20 workers of KKMU for interrogation. He added that the members of KKMU, a little known political organisation, were trying to establish themselves in Haryana. Some of them were also reportedly involved in the arson in a Haryana Roadways bus in Narwana about a fortnight ago. The villagers of Ghaso Kalan and Ghaso Khurd organised a panchayat on Thursday in which representatives of all castes and communities were present.

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Police deny report on caste conflict

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