Caste violence in India claims 3 more lives, death toll reaches 19

Three people were killed and nine others injured Monday in fresh violence in northern Indian state of Haryana, where Jat community is demanding reservation in government jobs and education, officials said.

The killings took place in Sonipat district, where protesters threw stones on government forces and clashed with army and paramilitary personnel, who have been deployed to restore law and order in the state.

Monday's killings took the death toll in caste violence to 19. Around 200 people including policemen are reported injured across the state.

"The army and paramilitary personnel were trying to clear a road blockade on Ambala-Delhi national highway at Ladsoli village when protesters clashed with them," a senior government official said.

Reports said nine injured in the clashes were hospitalized.

The fresh violence comes day after India's ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) promised to bring a bill in the Haryana lawmaking body to include Jats in the category of Other Backward Classes or OBCs in the state.

Though a group of Jats have agreed to accept the government announcement, others want local government to bring an ordinance on the issue.

India's official broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said Jat agitators again blocked a number of roads and rail tracks in the state, forcing cancellation of dozens of trains.

The protesters had grown violent since Friday and resorted to arson targeting shops, malls, vehicles, government buildings, petrol pump, railway stations etc., besides looting an armoury. Locals alleged the protesters also resorted to looting the merchandise from shops.

The protesters even damaged equipment in the Munak canal, the main source of portable water for Delhi, and imposed severe water crisis on Indian capital city. It affected over 17 million people living in the city.

Authorities had ordered closure of schools in the city, and appealed for rationing water in wake of water shortage.

Haryana's administration sought help from army and paramilitary to regain control and stop protesters from damaging public property.

Although, the army took control of the Munak canal and secured it, Delhi's water board officials said it would take time to restore water supplies fully to the city.

The agitation and violence has badly affected the business activity in the state. Reports said one of India's largest carmakers, Maruti-Suzuki suspended operations at its two plants in Haryana following the disruption in vehicular traffic.

In India, quotas for lower castes and economically weaker sections are guaranteed constitutionally. Though Jats are currently listed as upper caste but they are demanding the status of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), citing the quotas for other lower castes put them at a disadvantage.

The previous government in Haryana had announced "Special Backward Caste" for the Jats in 2013, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court stalled the move last year.

India's Supreme Court has rejected inclusion of Jats in the list of OBC list on the ground that India's commission of backward castes does not consider Jats socially and economically backward in Haryana.

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