Agitators in India demanding reservation under quota resort to arson

NEW DELHI, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) - Agitators in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh demanding reservation under backward quota Sunday evening resorted to arson and torched a police station, several vehicles and four bogies of a train, officials said.

"Hundreds of agitators took to railway tracks and set on fire the train from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam after stopping it," an official said.

Railway authorities said no causalities were reported in the arson.

The protesters belonging to Kapu community had come from different parts of the state for a huge rally, demanding backward caste status for themselves. The violence broke out after a public meeting at Tuni town, about 106 km from Visakhapatnam city.

Following the incident authorities stopped all trains running between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada stations.

Authorities have rushed in additional contingents of police to contain the situation. Reports said several policemen were injured in clashes with protesters.

The state's Chief Minister Chandarababu Naidu has convened an emergency meeting with senior officials in Vijayawada to deal with the situation.

In India quotas for lower castes and economically weaker sections are guaranteed constitutionally.

Analysts say quotas push people in India to an advantage in government jobs, education, etc. Endit