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Army moves into troubled area in Rajasthan

Sunny Sebastian

Atleast a dozen killed; prohibitory orders in six districts; State government orders judicial probe

— Photos: PTI

To the rescue: Injured persons being taken for treatment at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur on Friday, after members of the Gujjar community clashed with police.

JAIPUR: The month of May proved doubly deadly for the Gujjar community in Rajasthan as their “rail roko” (rail blockade) protest at the Dhumaria station in Bharatpur district on Friday turned violent provoking police to open fire killing at least a dozen persons. The mob lynched a head constable of the Rajasthan Police Constabulary.

Six districts, including Jaipur, are under prohibitory orders while 10 columns of the Army have moved into the troubled Bharatpur-Karauli-Sawai Madhopur belt.

Three companies of the CRPF and two of the Rapid Action Force also have been deployed. The State government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident by a former judge, F.C. Bansal.

It was in May last that the Gujjar agitation demanding Scheduled Tribe status resulted in 26 deaths. The immediate provocation for the present protest was the announcement last week of a special package of Rs.282 crore by the government for the development of five Gujjar-dominated districts. The package fell short of the community’s demand.

Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria confirmed four deaths in police firing and another one in mob violence. One body was found in Patoli village, the venue of the last year’s violence, he said.

Briefing journalists after a hurriedly convened Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Mr. Kataria conceded that seven more bodies were in the possession of Gujjars.

More than two dozens of people were reportedly injured in the strife, which took place around noon. However, the Congress put the death toll at 19 — 16 victims of police firing and three policemen.

Kirori Singh Bainsla, who gave the call for the rail roko, is still at large despite the fact that he made a brief appearance at the protest venue. The police detained two other senior Gujjar leaders, Avatar Singh Bhadana and Prahlad Gunjal on their way to Jaipur.

“It is very unfortunate. We tried our level best to satisfy the Gujjar community. The latest package too did not seemingly satisfy them,” said Mr. Kataria. “Even yesterday night I talked to Col. Bainsla. He asserted that the agitation would be peaceful but I told him that if they tried to stop trains it would not remain peaceful,” Mr. Kataria said.

The Minister said the police had opened fire when bursting of teargas shells and firing of rubber bullets did not deter the mobs from advancing towards the rail tracks. “The police opened fire under severe provocation,” said Niranjan Arya, Divisional Commissioner, Bharatpur, speaking to The Hindu on phone from the spot.

“The whole area is spread over 3-4 km and it is difficult to know how many have been affected in the strife,” Mr. Kataria said.

In Karauli district, angry mobs set ablaze three Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation buses. Vehicles were attacked at several places while the area was cut off by road and rail.

The trains on the Mumbai-Delhi route were diverted to Sawai Madhopur-Jaipur on way to Delhi. The Bharatpur-Bayana-Hindaun-Sri Mahavirji and Gangapur City stretch remained closed during the day.

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