Gohana (Sonepat), August 28
Tension that marked this sleepy township through the day finally ended late this night after the last rites of the Dalit youth Rakseh, alias Lara, were performed peacefully at 9.35 pm.

Sources confirmed that the peace committee finally succeeded in convincing the aggrieved family for the cremation of their son. A large of number of Dalits and senior administrative and police officials were present at the cremation ground.

According to UNI, about 20 people, including eight policemen, were injured today when Dalit protesters clashed with the Haryana police, which resorted to lathi-charge at Gohana town in the district today.

Meanwhile, one unidentified old man died after he was hit by a jeep in the melee and suffered a fatal head injury.

After marathon deliberations to resolve the issue, the district authorities finally agreed to allow the Dalit leaders, Darshan Rattan Ravan, former Bihar Governor Buta Singh and RPI MP Ram Das to attend Lara’s funeral.

The Dalit community today alleged that the local police kept Lara’s body in a canter near his residence at the Baroda Chowk unattended. The agitated crowd pelted the police with stones.

Another report from Rohtak said a mob damaged a bus and torched a motorcycle of the police today. The police had to resort to cane charge at the time of handing over the body. However, no one received serious injuries in the police action.

Talking to The Tribune, ADGP (law and order) V.B. Singh ruled out the charges of leaving the body unattended in the street. He said the police officials had gone there to hand over the body to the family members of the deceased.

Commercial establishments remained closed in most parts of the town after the police cane-charged the agitated mob.

Lara was shot dead last night by three unidentified youths. The agitated crowd had damaged several buses and jammed the traffic on the Rohtak road.