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India's recent caste violence leaves 30 dead, over 200 injured in Haryana state

Xinhua, February 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

The local government in India's northern state of Haryana Friday said 30 people lost their lives and over 200 were injured in the recent agitation by Jat community demanding reservation as backwards.

"Thirty persons have lost their lives in this agitation," the state's Police Chief Yash Pal Singhal said while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, the capital city of Haryana.

A violent agitation in the state began last week and last for several days, with protesters resorting to rioting and arson.

Most of the deaths took place after government forces fired on agitators defying restrictions and resorting to violence.

At least 10 Haryana districts were severely affected by the violence and state had to seek help from federal government, who rushed in army and paramilitary to regain control.

Officials said over 200 people including policemen were injured in clashes.

"Normalcy is fast returning to the state. All railway tracks and highways are functional and withdrawal of the army would begin today and continue in a phased manner," Singhal said.

According to Singhal, police has registered 713 cases for the violence and arrested 133 persons for rioting.

Authorities have also ordered a probe into the alleged gang rape of women commuters by rioters during the agitation.

The agitators had blocked the road and rail traffic and set ablaze shops, malls, vehicles, government buildings, petrol pump, railway stations etc., besides looting an armoury and shops. The protesters also damaged equipment in the Munak canal, the main source of portable water for New Delhi.

Over 17 million people living in the Indian capital city were affected due to water shortage. The water supply was partially resumed after army took control of the canal.

To cool the tempers India's ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) promised to bring a bill in the Haryana lawmaking body to extend reservation to Jats.

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 puts 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, education, etc. Endit