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Friday, May 30, 2008
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One dead in police firing

Devesh K. Pandey, Rajesh Ahuja and PTI

Gujjar stir hits life in Delhi and Haryana

Entry roads to Delhi blocked with boulders, tyres
Martyrs Day observed at Jantar Mantar

— Photo: PTI

DISRUPTING NORMALITY: Gujjars mount a rail blockade at Noli near Ghaziabad on Thursday.

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: Two persons were killed, one of them in police firing, and 14 policemen injured as sporadic violence marred the Gujjar agitation in Delhi and Haryana on Thursday. Gujjars have been pressing their demand for Scheduled Tribe status in Rajasthan for over a week.

Normal life was disrupted by a rail and road blockade enforced by the community.

Rajasthan, the epicentre of the movement, was comparatively peaceful barring a Jaipur bandh call that evoked a partial response and stray incidents of road blockade in five districts.

The Rajasthan government was ready for fresh talks with Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde told reporters in Jaipur after his day-long talks with ruling BJP and state government functionaries including Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

One person was killed when police opened fire on agitators who blocked traffic on the national highway at Patti Kalyana in Panipat district of Haryana for hours. A 70-year-old man died in the stampede triggered by the police action.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda ordered a magisterial inquiry and announced ex gratia of Rs.5 lakh each for the next of kin.

Life in several parts of the National Capital Region came to a standstill as Gujjars disrupted rail service, blocked roads and clashed with the police. The agitators blocked traffic at entry roads to the capital with boulders and burning tyres. At Aaya Nagar in Mehrauli, police used teargas shells to disperse protesters who pelted them with bricks and stones.

While the Mehrauli police registered a case of rioting against unknown persons, about 125 protesters were detained near the Akshardham temple and over 30 at Badarpur. In Gurgaon, protesters blocked traffic at Nathupur, Sohna and Lakhupur.

One person, who allegedly attempted self-immolation, was overpowered by the police.

Earlier, activists of the All India Gujjar Mahasabha and the National Lok Dal observed the “Gujjar Martyrs Day” at Jantar Mantar to pay homage to those killed during the agitation a year ago.

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