Army was called in on Friday in nine districts of Haryana and curfew was imposed in two districts along with shoot-at-sight orders after two people died and 18 were injured during the Jat protest for quota which turned violent with mobs resorted to widespread violence.
Haryana agreed to bring a bill declaring Jats and four other castes as backward communities amid after two people were killed and 18 others were injured in Rohtak city where Jat protesters have been waging violent protests to get reservation in government jobs.
The agitationists, who are seeking reservation under Economically Backward Classes, also targeted police and private vehicles, buildings housing offices, including two Toll Plazas at Hansi in Hissar district and near Rohtak, both located on the Delhi-Hisar-Fazilka National Highway.
One protestor was killed in Rohtak when the BSF personnel opened fire in “self-defence” after someone from the rampaging mob fired at and injured a BSF jawan, Haryana DGP Yashpal Singhal told a press conference in Chandigarh.
Since the situation was going out of control, army has been called in for deployment in eight worst-affected districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, Bhiwani, Hissar, Kaithal, Panipat and Sonipat, the state police chief said.
Army is also being rushed to Karnal, army sources said in Delhi, while informing that nine columns are being sent altogether.
Tonight, curfew was imposed in city limit areas of Rohtak and Bhiwani city limit areas, an official spokesman told PTI.
The agitation, which has been going on for last few days, escalated and turned violent soon after an all-party meeting held by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar issued an appeal for calling it off.
The protesters rejected the appeal even as Khattar gave an assurance that a solution will be worked out to extend reservation to the community.
Army units were being rushed to Rohtak from nearby Cantonment at Hissar, about 50 kms away, the official spokesman said, adding these will be deployed immediately in Rohtak and Bhiwani areas.
He said army units are also being rushed from Jaipur for deployment in other worst-affected areas of the state.
The army will assist the civil administration in restoring peace and law and order which worsened today shortly after an all party meeting here where an appeal was made for maintaining peace.
Two senior civil and police officers – Principal Secretary (Home) A K Singh and ADGP of Haryana Police B S Sandhu – have been rushed to Rohtak to coordinate with the army and the civil administration to restore normalcy.
The camp office of BJP MLA Manish Grover in Rohtak was also set on fire tonight.
Authorities in Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science & Hospital, Rohtak, said 19 of the 25 injured people admitted there had bullet injuries.
“One person who was critical has been operated upon and his condition is now stable,” they said.
Besides stationing Principal Secretary (Home) A K Singh and ADGP B S Sandhu at Rohtak, government has rushed six other senior IPS officers to other districts. They are Paramjit Singh Ahlawat (Sonipat), B K Sinha (Jind), K K Rao (Jhajjar), P K Aggarwal (Bhiwani), O P Singh (Kaithal) and K K Sindhu (Panipat).
The main impact of the Jats’ agitation is in various districts of the state including Rohtak, Jhajjar, Bhiwani, Hissar, Fatehabad, Karnal, Jind, Yamuna Nagar, Sirsa and Gurgaon where road transport has come to a halt.
