Nine persons were killed as violence spread to other parts of Haryana today. Armed mobs torched shops, public property and vehicles in Rohtak, Jhajjar and Jind despite the presence of the Army.
Four persons were killed in Jhajjar. Two protesters were killed in Rohtak and Kaithal. But official sources put the toll at nine. An official spokesperson said four persons died in Jhajjar when armed forces opened fire to quell arson and one person was killed in Kaithal.
Protesting Jats, who are demanding OBC status for reservation in jobs and educational institutions, blocked National Highway-1, cutting off Delhi and disrupting water supply to the national Capital from the Moonak canal. In Rohtak, there were reports of gas leak after a Vita milk plant was set ablaze. Residents in the vicinity were told to shift to other parts of the city.
LIVE UPDATES
- DELHI: Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda begins fast at Jantar Mantar for 'peace in the state'.
- GURGAON: City staring at water crisis; district administration appeal for judicious use, claiming just a day's reserve supply left.
- GURGAON: A railway halt room at Basai Dhankot set on fire, police claim the room was set afire by a drunkard.
- KARNAL: Several roads leading to city blocked by protestors, vehicles heading towards Delhi being diverted via Meerut road.
- ROHTAK: Traders and shopkeepers of Quila road market shift their valuable items to safer places.
Army holds flag march
Flag marches by the Army notwithstanding, arsonists had a field day, looting and setting shops and business establishments on fire and blocking roads and rail tracks. Two persons were killed and 10, including policemen, were injured in a cross-fire between protesters and Army personnel in Jhajjar. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital.
An unruly mob went on the rampage setting the Jhajjar police station, BDO office, PWD rest house, Roadways buses and PRO’s jeep on fire. The mob threw stones at the residence of Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar.
In Bhiwani district, protesters threw a petrol bomb at the Charkhi-Dadri depot in the wee hours. Two buses were destroyed. Fire engines were rushed and damage to more buses was prevented. At Hansi in Hisar, former minister Attar Singh Saini’s brother was shot at. His condition was said to be critical.
Choppers drop troops
As the protesting Jats last night dug up roads to prevent the troops from entering Rohtak, the Army today used choppers to drop troops at the Rohtak Police Lines. Army sources said all main roads leading to Rohtak from Delhi, Hisar and Jaipur had been dug up. Despite a flag march in the city, the protesters, mostly students on a dharna in front of the MDU gates, refused to budge.
The civil authorities had on Friday requisitioned Army troops for nine violence-hit districts. A school and the office of a newspaper owned by state minister Captain Abhimanyu was targeted by the protesters in Rohtak late last evening. A shopping mall was vandalised and a liquor vend looted and set afire.
A mob broke into the minister's house and set it on fire. The minister's family was airlifted to Chandigarh.
In Faridabad district, traffic on NH-2, also known as Mathura Road, remained disrupted near Prithla, Hodal and Bahin villages till noon.
Maruti halts operations
Maruti has stalled operations in its two units in Manesar and one in Gurgaon in view of the law and order situation. A tehsil building and a cooperative bank were set on fire in Fatehabad district.
The state DGP, Yashpal Singhal, a police station and a petrol station was set ablaze in Meham. He said while 13 columns of the Army had arrived and 10 more were being airlifted, 23 companies of the paramilitary forces were on the way.The DGP claimed that the situation had improved since yesterday. Meanwhile, the BJP high command has asked Birender Singh, OP Dhankar and Sanjeev Baliyan to negotiate with the Jats. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Manohar Parrikar, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley spoke with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval late last evening and reviewed the situation in the state.
Notice to K'shetra MP
A show-cause notice has been issued to Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini, who has been issuing statements against reservation for the Jats. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asked his MLAs to leave for their constituencies and speak with the protesters to end the impasse. The Chief Minister's CM's Barara rally, scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled.
The Indian National Lok Dal has demanded President’s rule, holding the BJP responsible for the chaos.
Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced he will fast at Jantar Mantar tomorrow for "peace in the state." He claimed he wanted to go to Rohtak, but the district administration had denied him permission.
Prices of air tickets soared as the road and rail connectivity between Chandigarh and Delhi remained disrupted due to the ongoing Jat agitation in Haryana today. The prices of air tickets from Chandigarh to Delhi have shot up from Rs 2,000-Rs 5,000 to a whopping Rs 20,000-Rs 27,000.
City-based taxi operators have also stopped operating between Delhi and Chandigarh due to the stir.
Chander Verma, a businessman in the city, said, “My daughter and son-in-law are to come from Delhi tomorrow. They had decided to come by road, but dropped the idea since the highway between Delhi and Chandigarh has been blocked by the protesters. Now, they have booked air tickets for Rs 20,000 each.”
Echoing a similar view, Anil Anand, owner of a tour and travel company, said, “Usually, air fare between Chandigarh and Delhi ranges between Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,500. But this morning, customers taking a flight on February 21 were charged anything between Rs 18,000 and Rs 27,000 for a ticket. In the evening, no air ticket was available for February 21.”
Another tour and travel operator, Vaneet Sharma, said the air tickets were available only in the morning and ranged between Rs 20,000 and Rs 27,000. They had advised their customers to postpone their plans due to the agitation, he said.
Dalip Singh, owner of a city-based taxi operator firm, said they were not sending their taxis to Delhi for the last two days. “I don’t want to risk the lives of my customers and drivers,” he said.
