Ten Killed and 150 Left Injured in Jat Quota Protest in Haryana

Jats stage a demonstration seeking Special Backward Class (SBC) status in Rohtak, Haryana on February 19, 2016. (Photo: IANS)

At least 10 people have been killed and 150 injured in the violence linked to the pro-quota agitation led by the Jat community in Haryana, the state’s Director General of Police YP Singhal said on Sunday.

DGP Singhal told media persons that the violence in the worst-affected districts of Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jhajjar had been contained since Saturday night.

Thousands of people continued to suffer as the violent agitation by Jat community protestors in Haryana continued for the eighth day on Sunday. The agitation paralysed normal life in the entire state, cutting off all northern states from Delhi.

Trains and buses running between Delhi and other places have been cancelled. All major highways passing through Haryana have been blocked by protestors at several places.

Singhal said the top priority of the security forces and the government was to restore water supply to Delhi. He said paramilitary forces and irrigation department officials reached the area where the water supply to the national capital was disrupted by protestors on Saturday to restore the supply.

The DGP refuted reports that there was lack of coordination between the army deployed in the state and the state authorities.

There is complete coordination between the army and Haryana Police The army is deployed to assist the civil administration. We are trying to secure the cities. We have initiated night-dominance by security forces.

<b>YP singhal, DGP </b>

The DGP said 291 cases have been registered following the violence and 45 people have been rounded up.