Vehicles torched, property vandalised in Dungarpur

Jaipur, September 27

The situation in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur remained tense on the fourth consecutive day on Sunday as a group of protesters torched a pickup van and vandalised property.

Violence erupted in the region on Thursday when the candidates of teachers’ recruitment examination-2018 blocked the Udaipur-Ahmedabad Highway, threw stones at police, damaged several properties and torched vehicles, demanding appointment of ST candidates on 1,167 vacant posts of general quota.

The violence continued on Friday and Saturday, when a man was shot dead. An official of the Dungarpur police control room said a pickup van was torched in the Ransagar area around 3 am on Sunday.

The protesters have so far torched over 25 vehicles, ransacked several shops, hotels and a petrol pump, he said.

A man was killed in firing during the violent protests on Saturday. The police said it was not confirmed whether the man was killed in police firing or was hit by one of the bullets fired by the protesters.

However, the situation improved in the district on Sunday after the Udaipur-Ahmedabad highway, which was blocked by candidates of a recruitment exam for three days, was cleared after a meeting between a delegation of the protesters and public representatives and officials.

Tribal Area Development Minister Arjun Singh Bamniya was also part of the meeting.

“The situation by and large remained peaceful today. The highway in Dungarpur is clear for traffic movement now,” Inspector General of Police (Udaipur range) Binita Thakur said.

However, incidents of stone-throwing took place in Rishabhdev and Jhadol area of adjoining Udaipur district, Thakur said.

The police control room said stones and other obstacles on the highway in Dungarpur were removed.

“Traffic will resume on the highway by tomorrow. After the meeting, which was held in a positive manner today, we conducted a march on the highway to review the situation. Now, the things are under control in Dungarpur,” former Udaipur MP Raghuveer Meena said.

“We have appealed to the protesters to stop the violence and restore peace. There was general consensus on this in the meeting,” Bamaniya said.

In Jaipur, DGP Bhupendra Singh reviewed the situation. “Two companies of the Rapid Action Force were deployed in the area today. Three senior police officers were sent to Dungarpur and the situation at present is peaceful,” he said. — PTI

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