Dalits, Jats clash in Jind village over panchayat land; 1 dead

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Narwana/Jind, July 18

One person was killed and another one seriously injured in a clash that broke out in Dharodi village of Jind district today. An attempt by the Jind administration to allow possession of 146 plots to below poverty line (BPL) Scheduled Caste families under the Indira Awas Yojna reportedly led to the clash between Dalits and Jats.

A group of Jats allegedly attacked houses of SCs in the village and thrashed people, including women and children. The Jats also set a Haryana Roadways bus on fire near their village on the Narwana-Tohana road.

A team of the Narwana police, some officers of the Panchayat Department, village sarpanch Mahinder Singh and around 50 members of BPL families had reportedly gone to take possession of 146 plots carved out on five acres of panchayat land. Shamsher Singh and some others who had encroached upon the land, however, refused to vacate it and allegedly attacked policemen and others accompanying them. “Shamsher, along with 100 others from our village, attacked us with sharp-edged weapons. They did not spare even the policemen and Panchayat Department officers.

They pelted government vehicles with stones. I, along with my family, am hiding at some place as Shamsher and his accomplices have been trying to attack us and set my house on fire,” village sarpanch Mahinder said.

The person killed in the clash was identified as Vikram Singh (28) while the one who suffered serious injuries was identified as Sandip. 

He was admitted to a hospital in Hisar. Policemen and Panchayat Department officials were among those injured in the clash. They were admitted to a hospital at Narwana.

“After the death of Vikram, members of his community attacked our houses. They beat up our women and damaged our houses. We informed the police on phone number 100, but to no avail. There is tension in the village as our houses might be attacked again,” a villager said. Jind Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal and other senior police officials later reached the village and tried to pacify the people who were blocking the Narwana-Tohana road.

“The situation is under control now and we have deputed police force in the village. We are trying to convince both sides to maintain peace. Action will be taken against all those involved in the clash,” Jorwal said.

At the time of filing this report, the SP was holding a meeting with representatives of both communities to restore peace in the village.