Dalit protests, violence bring state to standstill

JAIPUR : Violent protests across Rajasthan against the Supreme Court order on SC/ST Act left one person dead and over 150, including several police men, injured on Monday.
A 28-year-old youth, identified as Pawan Kumar, was killed in police firing at Alwar. He was part of a group who allegedly attempted to set the Khairthal police station on fire. “The mob, by and large, managed to set the police station on fire. In order to disperse them, we opened fire and the youth was killed. They were trying loot the ammunition store of the police station,” said superintendent of police (SP) Rahul Prakash, Alwar.

In another incident at Jodhpur, ASI Mahendra Chowdhary had to be rushed to a private hospital after he had a cardiac arrest after being surrounded and thrashed by the mob. A doctor from the trauma centre of MDM Hospital said that he was brought after suffering a cardiac arrest and was saved after a long CPR administration. Later in the evening, his condition improved.

Speaking to TOI, state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria, who was in Udaipur, said, “I have asked the police to take strict action against those who are taking law into their hands. Except a few places, the situation was totally under control across the state. Since the matter is related to the court, it is better that the protesting community showed their faith in judiciary.”

Director general of police (DGP) O P Galhotra held a review meeting to take stock of security and directed various range IGs and SPs to maintain law and order. He appealed to agitating groups to protest within legal limits. “Action will be taken against those who take law into their hands and resort to violence. I have directed my men to take action against those involved in creating trouble and disturbing peace in various areas,” he said. According to sources from the Rajasthan police headquarters, the police have also been asked to identify and make a list of people indulging in violence and damaging private and public property.

Initial reports of violence had come from Barmer and Alwar districts. Police had to resort to lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob at Alwar, Barmer, Jaipur and Jodhpur. Police have also arrested several people across the state.

In Hindaun and Alwar, protesters uprooted rail tracks, affecting the Delhi-Mumbai and Jaipur-Delhi rail traffic. Mobs at Alwar halted seven trains, including the Jaipur Delhi Double Decker Express and New Delhi-Jaipur Shatabi Express. The North Western Railway (NWR) administration cancelled three trains and partially cancelled five others between Alwar and Jaipur.

At Barmer, agitating youth of Bheem Sena forced shops and establishments to shut down. Reports claimed that five vehicles were set on fire while 40 others were damaged. At least 18 people were injured in violence and stone pelting. The highways connecting Barmer and the rest of the state were also been jammed.

In Sikar’s Neem-Ka-Thana, mobs attacked and vandalized local BJP and Congress offices. Protesters in other districts too turned violent, setting vehicles on fire, stopping trains and attacking business establishments. Internet services were blocked by the local administration in many districts, including Udaipur, Barmer, Alwar, Pali, Sirohi, Jalore, Hanumangarh and rural areas of Jodhpur.

In Jaipur, protesters were seen confronting daily commuters at several places. Scenes of vehicles being damaged and trains being halted were common in the city. Police, by and large, appeared to be mute spectators.

Road traffic too was affected as majority of the buses to Delhi and other places was cancelled by the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC).