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| Two killed in Rajasthan firing, toll rises to 18 | | |
JAIPUR, MAY 31
In continued unrest in Rajasthan over the ST quota issue, two persons were today killed and five others injured in police firing when Gurjar protesters went on a rampage in Sawai Madhopur district, taking the death toll in the agitation to 18.
Following the violence, Army was called out to assist the civil administration, Superintendent of Sawai Madhopur Jose Mohan told PTI over telephone.
With today's incidents, the death toll in Gurjars' stir in last three days has risen to 18. However, the unofficial toll has been put at 20.
As the protesters went on a rampage at Bonli village, 70 kms from Sawai Madhopur, damaging vehicles and setting on fire a police post, the police first resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells before opening fire, the SP said.
As part of state government's efforts to find a solution to the crisis, a four-member ministerial team, constituted by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, made a "good beginging" during talks with a 10-member delegation of the Gurjar Resevation Sangharsh Samiti led by Karnal Kirori Singh Bhainsla.
During the 90-minute talks at the Dausa district circuit house, about 110 km from Jaipur, the agitating Gurjar leaders sought shifting of the community from OBC to Scheduled Tribe category, compensation for those killed in police firing, jobs to the next of the kin of the families of the victims and withdrawal of cases against the protestors.
"It was a good begining," Parliamentary Affairs Minister B S Rajawat said on the basis of reports reaching here. The talks would continue.
Army which was called out on Tuesday after Gurjar protestors indulged in largescale violence in Dausa, Kauroli and Bundi districts and blocked highways connecting Jaipur with Delhi, Agra and other cities, continued to be deployed in the sensitive areas and the highways.
Giving details of the incident in Sawai Madhopur, the district SP Mohan said the situation was tense and sufficient force was deployed to maintain law and order.
The protestors also indulged in arson at railway stations of Chauthkabara and Malarna-Dungari stations besides damaging a track, he said.
One person was killed when police fired on protestors in Jaipur's Kotputali block last night.
With the violence continuing, Chief Minister met Governor Pratibha Patil and updated her on the situation. She was accompanied by Home Minister G C Kataria. The Governor had yesterday met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.
Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta discussed the situation in Rajasthan including deployment of Central Para-Military Forces in the state.
Incidents of arson, stone pelting and clashes with police were reported from Ajmer, Pushkar, Alwar, Bharatpur, Chittorgarh, Tonk, Kota, Dholpur, Bundi and areas adjoining the state capital.
Rail services were disrupted on the Kota, Sawai Madhopur sections following largescale damage to tracks and train services between Jaipur and Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh were hit.
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