Chandigarh: Haryana continues to be at a standstill amidst a massive quota stir by the Jat community over the last four days. Seven people have died and scores have been injured as protests rage on in nine districts of the state even as the Army staged flag marches in worst-hit pockets.
With Haryana on the boil, several state roadways buses, seven railway stations, a police station and some buildings have been torched by pro-quota protesters. Army had to use choppers to reach parts of blocked Rohtak district.
A milk plant of the Haryana Dairy Corporation (Vita) was set on fire by the protestors at Rohtak. The residents nearby were asked to move out to protect them for possible gas leak from the milk plant, an official spokesman said on Saturday night.
Curfew was clamped in five more towns--the latest one being Jind, Hisar and Hansi. On Saturday, curfew was imposed in Sonipat and Gohana towns of Sonipat district. It was already clamped in Rohtak, Bhiwani and Jhajjar towns.
The road and rail traffic through Haryana and destined to neighboring states, including Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Chandigarh remained disrupted with authorities cancelling bus and train services on most routes in the wake of continuing blockade.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in the three districts.
As many as 15 companies of India Reserve Battalion and Haryana Armed Police, three companies of paramilitary forces and two columns of Army have already been deployed, an official release.
The Jat stir has severely hit the movement of more than 800 trains, and seven stations in the state were set on fire by the agitators.
Jhajjar, Buddha Khed, Julana and Pillu Kheda were among the seven stations which were set afire, a Railway spokesperson said, adding that two track machines were also burnt at Pillu Kheda.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India suspended operations at its two plants in Gurgaon and Manesar as component supplies have been hit by the agitation of Jats demanding job reservation.
In a new twist to the agitation, there were reports of clashes between Jats and non-Jats with 10 persons being injured at Kalayat in Kaithal district and in Hansi area of Hisar district.
Appealing to protesters to end their stir, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar asked agitators to "return to their homes as the government has accepted their demands", but did not elaborate.
"Such incidents create disharmony," he said here after reviewing the situation with his ministerial colleagues and senior civil and police officers.
But several Jat leaders refused to call off the pro-quota agitation unless the government promulgated an ordinance to include the community in the OBC category.
(With additional information from PTI)
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