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Probe ordered into M.P. firing incident

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, told media-persons here on Sunday that one person had died after sustaining bullet injury during a protest demonstration by unemployed youth before the J.P. Cement factory at Rewa on Saturday.

The Chief Minister was emphatic in pointing out that the fatal shot had not been fired from any police weapon and went on to inform the media that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into this incident.

This issue was raised at the Bharatiya Janata Party President, Rajnath Singh’s press conference at the conclusion of the 3-day National Executive meeting in the State capital. The BJP President passed the microphone to the State Chief Minister and said that he would give a reply.

According to information received here, a large number of unemployed youth were protesting before the J.P. Cement factory at Rewa on Saturday morning.

Their demand was that since their land had been acquired for setting up the factory, they should be given jobs on priority. At one stage, tempers ran high as the protesters wanted the representatives of the factory management to come out and give them the assurance that their demands shall be met.

The factory management wanted their delegation to come inside and meet them. This created a stalemate and while the protestors were being arrested some of them set on fire the bus that had been requisitioned by the police for their arrest.

At this stage, there was heavy stone pelting and the police had to use force to control the situation.

In the chaos that prevailed, a range Police officer told The Hindu over telephone that one of the factory guards opened fire.

One youth, identified as Rajendra Singh Patel of Bihara village near the cement factory, was killed in this firing incident and about 30 others were injured. About five of them were hit by pallets fired from a 12-bore gun, the Police officer informed.

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Probe ordered into M.P. firing incident

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