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Saturday, Jun 16, 2007
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Stir went out of hand: Rajasthan

J. Venkatesan

This despite best efforts to control violent mobs: DGP

2,081 preventive arrests; 265 in jail No road blockade in southwest Delhi

New Delhi: The Rajasthan Government has told the Supreme Court that the Gujjar agitation went out of control despite the best efforts to control violent mobs.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the large-scale violence — witnessed during the recent agitation by the community demanding ST status — and describing it as a "national shame," the court on June 5 directed Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to file action taken reports. The court also sought video footage of news coverage of the agitation from TV channels for an assessment by amicus curiae Rajeev Dhavan.The video footage could form the basis for issuing further directions for action against the culprits, it said and posted further hearing for June 18.In his affidavit filed on Friday, RajasthanDirector-General of Police A.S. Gill said, "During the intervening night of May 28 and 29, persons belonging to the Gujjar community, started moving in large number towards the Jaipur-Agra National Highway 11 in district Dausa and Karoli from all directions on foot and in vehicles, including jeeps and tractor-trolleys, mostly through unconventional and kutcha tracks."

The agitators regrouped time and again but were chased way with the police resorting to lathicharge and teargas.

"As the agitations grew beyond control, police had to resort to firing, which resulted in the death of six persons. The agitators surrounded a police party and 97 officers were injured, one of whom succumbed to his injuries."

The DGP said 2,081 preventive arrests were made; 352 first information reports were registered against the offenders; 265 accused persons are in jail and 68 are on bail. Thanks to the effective steps taken by the police and the State and deployment of Central paramilitary force and the Army along with the State police, the government contained the agitation and brought the situation under control by May 31.

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