Gujjar issue: Autopsy of victims to be completed by Jun 1

Jaipur, June 2: The post-mortem of 37 victims killed in police firing occurred during Gujjars agitation will be completed today. Post-mortem is being carried out at Pilupura, Sikandera and Sawai Madhopur district where police firing occurred. The Government has constituted medical teams for post-mortem and there are two Gujjar doctors in each team.

Earlier, Gujjar protesters, led by Colonel (retired) Kirori Singh Bainsla, decided that the post-mortem would be conducted as per the conditions laid down in a two-page letter written to the State administration. The bodies are being kept in metal trunks with ice slabs. Bainsla has warned his supporters not to leave Pilupura as security forces will get an opportunity to take action.

The Gujjar leadership agreed to the post-mortem by doctors in the State after the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) expressed its inability to conduct the autopsy. Gujjars are demanding inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) that will ensure reservation in jobs and seats in educational institutions.

The Gujjar protest, which has spread to many places in and around Rajasthan, has disrupted road and rail traffic badly. The Rajasthan Government reserves about half of the seats in State colleges and universities for lower castes and tribal groups to flatten centuries-old social hierarchies.

In 2007, Gujjars in Rajasthan fought with police and members of another caste (Meenas) that already qualifies for job quotas. At least 26 people were killed in that violence. After these protests, a State Government committee said it would spend 2.8 billion rupees improving schools, clinics, roads and other infrastructure in Gujjar areas. But Gujjars rejected this option.

ANI