Hisar: Jat protesters go on rampage over youth's death

In spiralling violence, Jat protesters torched a police post and a judge's car and stormed the premises of Power Grid Corporation following the death of a person in Hisar, prompting authorities to seek army's help and close all educational institutions for three days in the district.

As Hisar, located 155 kms from the national capital, was virtually under siege on Wednesday by the protesters demanding OBC quota in government jobs and educational institutes, the Haryana government accused the Opposition Indian National Lok Dal, which along with Bharatiya Janata Party stalled the assembly proceedings over the issue, of hatching a political conspiracy.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda maintained the government's doors were always open for talks.

The protesters, who have paralysed rail traffic for past 18 days, on Tuesday night set afire the car of a district and sessions judge after a person was killed in clashes between agitators and police.

The agitators on Tuesday torched a police chowki in Hisar Cantt and damaged an SBI ATM in Cantt area, police said.

The car of Raminder Jain, district and sessions Judge, Jind, was set ablaze by protesters near Mirchpur when he was proceeding towards Jind, they said, adding the judge escaped unhurt.

All roads to Delhi, Rajgarh and Sirsa from the district were blocked by protesters at more than a dozen places and buses remained off the roads. The government has stopped bus service from Hisar depot for two days.

Though educational institutions will remain closed for three days as a precautionary measure, all board examinations will continue as scheduled, Deputy Commissioner Amit Aggarwal aid.

He said the district administration has sought army's help to bring the situation under control.

A mob also barged into the premises of Power Grid Corporation of India situated on Hisar-Delhi national highway near village Mayar.

They torched the guest house of the grid and broke the furniture, air conditioners and television in the office.

Ashish Charan, civil engineer of the grid, said, "The loss may run into several crores. We have informed the police and our headquarter and requested them to depute force for the safety of the plant."

One person was killed and several others were injured as members belonging to the Jat community clashed with police near Ramayan village, the epicentre of the agitation, on Tuesday.

The incident occurred when members of the community were protesting against police for detaining top Jat leaders and rounding up agitators squatting near the railway track at Ramayan village late on Tuesday night.

Reacting to the killing of the youth, Haryana's DGP Ranjeev Dalal claimed that Sandeep of Mayar died due to firing by protesters.

"We exercised restraint during the attack of the mob on our cops.... The miscreants led the mob and our jawans were injured in large numbers. All railway tracks and roads will be cleared for smooth traffic soon," he said.

After postmortem examination, the police on Wednesday handed over the body of Sandeep which was taken by his family and supporters to the railway track of Ramayan and placed there.

The protesters said they will not carry out the cremation till all those arrested are released.

Members of Jat community under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Mahasabha also held protest in Bahadurgarh town of Jhajjar district against the firing incident and burnt an effigy of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Addressing the protesters, Ranbir Singh, state president of the Jat Mahasabha, accused the state government of acting "like the Bristish regime to suppress the voice of the community".

Besides providing monetary compensation to the next of kin of the deceased, they also demanded stern action against the cops involved in the incident.

Protesting against the torching of the car of the judge, lawyers at Hisar court suspended work and urged the government to restore law and order.

As the issue rocked the assembly, Haryana Parliamentary Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala lashed out at the INLD.

"It is true that INLD office bearers are instigating the Jat agitators and trying to disturb peace in the state…it is a political conspiracy of INLD and it is playing politics (on Jat row issue),"  he told mediapersons.

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