Jat agitation: Mobs on rampage in Rohtak; situation deteriorating across state

Sushil Manav & Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Rohtak, February 20

The imposition of curfew, arrival of Army troops and shoot-at-sight orders notwithstanding, complete anarchy and mayhem prevailed at Rohtak today, with youths setting dozens of buildings on fire, ransacking and looting showrooms and other commercial establishments and indulging in bloody group clashes.

One person was killed and at least 100 persons were injured in clashes on Day 7 of the Jat agitation for inclusion in the OBC category to get reservation benefits.

The protesters also set the Vita milk plant on Gohana Road near Sukhpura Chowk on fire, following which ammonia gas got leaked and the district administration asked the residents of Vita Colony and nearby areas to vacate their houses and move to safer locations.

Even the already burnt down house of Cabinet Minister Capt Abhimanyu was set ablaze again.

Former minister Attar Singh Saini's brother was shot at in Hansi, Hisar, while Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar's house attacked by protesters in Jhajjar.

After a night-long stalemate between Jat protesters and Army troops, whose entry in Rohtak town was prevented by digging up roads, the security forces set out on a flag march through the town. Army troops had earlier been dropped at the Police Lines inside Rohtak by helicopters.

Army has been continuously airdropping more troops in order to strengthen its presence in the area.

There was a report of firing between Jats and members of non-Jat communities in Hisar. In Narnaund, 11 trucks of the Army were reportedly taken over by agitators, but the Army has denied any such incident.

In Jhajjar, protesters set local residence of former minister and Jhajjar MLA Geeta Bhukkal on fire.

Owing to the total failure of the state machinery in checking the violence and arson yesterday, curfew was imposed in Rohtak and Army was called to control the situation. However, the Jat protesters blocked the roads leading to Rohtak by digging pits and employing other means.

The flag march comprising Army, BSF and police elements, and headed towards the Delhi highway, had to be diverted away from Gate No. 2 of Maharshi Dayanand University, where Jat students armed with iron rods and sharp-edged weapons are gathered in large numbers. There was fear of a violent clash had the flag march tried to enforce the curfew orders currently in force the town.

Complete anarchy prevailed after that, with Jat youths going on a rampage and setting on fire the Circuit House, BJP office, Meham police station, several hotels and restaurants, a petrol station, a shopping mall and dozens of showrooms, shops and other commercial establishments. A number of vehicles were also torched.

The police personnel, who had vanished from the scenes of violence yesterday, abandoned police posts and locked police stations. Torching, ransacking of business establishments and open loot continued till the time of filing this report. Members of some other communities were also said to be involved in looting incidents.

Bloody group clashes, including several incidents of firing, also took place, in which an unidentified man was killed and 100 persons injured.

The Army personnel took out a flag march again in the evening, but the group clashes and arson continued even after that.

Even the essential services like ambulance and fire engines remained unavailable.

Rohtak DC DK Behera, SSP Saurabh Singh and Rohtak Range IGP Shrikant Jadhav did not pick up their phones despite repeated attempts.

READ: Tension in Rohtak following complete law and order breakdown

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BJP MP Saini postpones OBC Brigade meeting

In pics: Haryana on the boil

DJB to move SC as Delhi apprehends water crisis

ALERTS-LIVE

• SONEPAT: NH 1 blocked in Sonepat.
• SONEPAT: Water supply to Delhi through branch of West Jamuna Canal and 'Delhi parallel channel' diverted into Drain No. 8 near Garhi Bindroli village.
• SONEPAT: 24-hour curfew in Sonepat and Gohana towns
• HISAR: Firing between Jats and non-Jats in Hisar
• JHAJJAR: DIPRO's jeep set ablaze by protesters near Yadav Dharamshala
• 3,000 persons with illegal weapons on NH-1 at Siwah village in Panipat, situation tense; Army, police on spot.
• JIND: Unidentified persons set Budha Khera railway station on fire.
• JHAJJAR: SDM and BDO office damaged at Beri town in Jhajjar in the wee hours on Saturday.
• REWARI: Jat protesters block Rewari-Shahjahanpur near Jaatuvaas village.
• GURGAON: Programme of Haryana Governor at Om Shanti Retreat Centre, Bhora Kalan, cancelled owing to volatile situation.
• GURGAON: Protesters block Delhi-Jaipur rail line at Patli, traffic restored later.
• AMBALA: Jats block Ambala-Hisar highway near Ambala City in Balana village.
• JHAJJAR: Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar's house attacked by protesters
• DELHI border blocked by Jat protesters
• AMBALA: Road blocked in Naraingarh
• AMBALA: CM's Barara rally, scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled.
• AMBALA: Ambala roadways suspended services to Yamunanagar, Naraingarh, and Delhi highway
• CHANDIGARH: Railway authorities cancel trains on February 21. Ambala Railway authorities have released a list of cancelled trains on February 21.

The Jat agitation appeared to be getting out of hand as protesters had the run of Rohtak town overnight following violence and arson through Friday.

Army helicopters were seen hovering over the town at daybreak, as the situation seemed to be primed for a major faceoff with a breakdown of communication between the two sides on the ground.

The authorities asked residents in Rohtak to stay indoors.

Rioting and arson had continued through last night, with protesters setting on fire BR Mall, several shops and vehicles, besides looting a firearms shop ('gun house'). Protesters were now in possession of firearms too, though the numbers could not be ascertained. 

The mayhem on Friday

Curfew was imposed in Rohtak and Bhiwani districts on Friday as the Jat agitation in Haryana turned violent, resulting in the death of three persons. Angry mobs held a BSF man hostage and set ablaze a police post at Dighal in Jhajjar.

The Army has been requisitioned for nine districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Bhiwani, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal, Karnal and Panipat. Ten companies of the paramilitary forces are on the way while 20 more have been summoned, said Yash Pal Singhal, DGP.

“An Army column has been moved to Rohtak,” an official spokesperson said. 

After rampaging mobs set afire public property and vehicles, Haryana Chief Secretary DS Dhesi spoke to the Army Chief  and the CM with the Defence Minister.

#WATCH Army flag march in Bhiwani (Haryana) after #JatReservation agitation turned violent, curfew has been imposed.https://t.co/IKqM4ZnTNo

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2016

The fiasco is being blamed on intelligence agencies that failed to gauge the discontent among the protesters, say sources. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, when questioned on the issue, refused to comment.

Reports said the agitation kept swelling through the day with Jats blocking roads and rail tracks in several districts. In Rohtak, armed mobs went on the rampage, setting ablaze the house of Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu as well as several vehicles.

Three protesters were killed when the police opened fire after policemen, including a DSP, were taken hostage and the office and house of the IG, Rohtak Range, was attacked. Two of the deceased were identified as Ajay of Gaddikheri village and Harinder of Dhalala village. Several vehicles at the Circuit House were torched. In Bhiwani, a dharamshala was set afire after a clash between Jats and those opposing the stir. The Jats are demanding OBC status to avail of reservation in jobs and educational institutions. 

State police chief Singhal said their top priority was to rein in the mobs in Rohtak. He said the Police Lines in Rohtak was also under threat and senior IAS officer AK Singh and IPS officer BS Sandhu had been asked to coordinate between the Army and the district administration. Security for ministers and MLAs had been raised, Singhal said. 

Internet services off

With the situation getting out of hand this morning, internet and SMS services were suspended in six districts to prevent further trouble. The DGP said orders had been issued to jam social networking sites. “As and when the situation improves, the internet facility will be restored,” he said. To a question, he said if there was no improvement in law and order,  “ we will consider imposing curfew in the entire state.” 

Following rumours on the social media that Jats had been beaten up by non-Jats and students backing the stir beaten up by the police, hundreds of Jats from nearby villages arrived in Rohtak on tractor- trailers this morning and went on the rampage.

Earlier on Friday, Ram Bhagat Malik, spokesperson of the Yashpal Malik faction of the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said the stir would not be called off till the Jats were included in the OBC category through a legislation. “The all-party meeting failed to arrive at any solution. When 2,353 other castes have been granted reservation, why have the Jats been excluded,” asked Malik. 

HTET deferred, schools shut

The Haryana Teachers Eligibility Test (HTET) Level-3 scheduled for Saturday has been postponed. The revised dates will be on the website soon. The government has decided to cancel the state-level function to mark the 639th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas at Sir Chhotu Ram Stadium, Rohtak, on February 21. 

Schools in Karnal district will remain shut tomorrow in view of the agitation, an official spokesman said. 

(Inputs by Sat Singh in Bhiwani)