Houses of Dalit MLA, ex-MLA set afire in Rajasthan’s Karauli district

Jaipur, April 3

The houses of a sitting and a former MLA, both Dalits, were set afire by a violent mob on Tuesday afternoon in the Hindaun town in Karauli district of Rajasthan following which curfew was imposed in the area, a senior official said.

A mob comprising nearly 5,000 people set ablaze houses of sitting MLA Rajkumari Jatav and former MLA Bharosilal Jatav in the Hindaun City, District Collector, Karauli, Abhimanyu Kumar told PTI.

While Rajkumari Jatav is from the ruling BJP, Bharosilal Jatav is a former Congress legislator who also served as a minister in the state. The incident occurred a day after Rajasthan and several other states saw large scale protests and violence during a ‘bandh’ called by Dalit organisations.

Considering the law and order situation, curfew was clamped in the city, Kumar added.

He said the situation was tense since morning.

After incidents of stone pelting and arson, a mob set on fire the houses of the MLA and the ex-MLA following which curfew has been clamped till Wednesday morning, an official said.

“The traders’ association and upper castes are agitated in Hindaun City. They took out a procession today and tried to enter the SC/ST dominated areas,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) NRK Reddy said.

“Police forces lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to cane charging and firing rubber bullets to disperse the mob,” Reddy said.

Superintendent of Police, Karauli, Anil Kayal said after the incidents of arson and violence, nearly 40 people were detained in Hindaun City. — PTI