After night of fear, flag march brings relief

Sunit Dhawan and Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, February 21

Owing to the failure of the state machinery in maintaining law and order situation yesterday despite the arrival of Army troops and imposition of curfew in the city, fear of communal flare-ups gave a sleepless night to residents.

Armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and other weapons, people belonging to the Jat and non-Jat communities on Saturday night were seen performing ‘thikri pehra’ in their respective localities to foil any attempt of attack.

Residents, who were under threat of communal attacks last night, however, felt safer owing to night patrol by Army personnel.

The Army began a flag march on Sunday morning. Helicopters carrying Army men continued to make rounds over Rohtak today also.

Residents of Sector 3 and nearby areas said this morning, several youths were seen looting articles from the shops located inside Satyam Mall, which was ransacked and set afire by protesting youths yesterday.

Barring this and a couple of minor clashes, the situation was largely peaceful.

An uneasy calm prevailed in the city this morning, even as the youths agitating for the grant of reservation to the members of Jat community stayed put at the protest site near Gate No.2 of MDU here.

Nonetheless, rumours like drinking water at Sector 1 waterworks having being poisoned, massive assemblages of youths at different points and large-scale damage to life and property were getting spread like wildfire.