Protesters burn police stations in clashes in northwestern India
ngry villagers burned police stations and damaged railroad tracks as they continued their protest in northwestern India on Wednesday, a day after clashes with police left at least 14 people dead, officials said.Thousands of villagers continued to block key highways in the region to press their demand for special status for the Gujjar community, ensuring them government jobs and spots in educational institutions, said Madhukar Gupta an administrator in Jaipur district.
Villagers set on fire to two small police stations and two jeeps in Jhalawar, nearly 215 miles west of the state capital of Jaipur, Gupta said. There were no reported injuries.
Army and paramilitary forces patrolled the troubled spots to restore calm. The state Cabinet was meeting in Jaipur to find a solution to the community’s demand, Gupta said.
Vishvender Singh, a lawmaker representing the state’s ruling Hindu nationalist party, urged community leaders to end the protests, but without success.
On Tuesday, villagers surrounded police who tried to break up the protests in three villages, and the officers opened fire, killing 12 people, said V. S.
Singh, a state home ministry official. Police ired in self-defense after villagers began throwing stones, said Kanhiya Lal, a police officer.
Two police officers also were killed after they were severely beaten by the protesters, Singh told reporters.
At least 80 people, including a dozen police officers, were injured in the clashes, Singh said.