Indefinite curfew in Jalna after violence

Jalna, Maharashtra, Apr 10 (UNI) An indefinite curfew was clamped on the town today after Dalit activists went on the rampage, indulging in arson and stone-pelting to protest desecration of a statue of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

Desribing the situation as ''tense but under control'', District Superintendent of Police Chiranjeev Prasad told UNI that police had to open firing and resort to baton charge to disperse the agitated mob, in which 36 people have been injured.

Mr Prasad said curfew was imposed at 1000 hrs after situation in the town worsened in the morning due to violent protests in Kanhaiyanagar locality by Dalit activists over the desecration of Dr Ambedkar's statue at around 0630 hrs.

Out of the 36 injured, three were injured in police firing and 19 others in lathi-charge, he added.

Fourteen policemen were also injured, some of them seriously in clashes with the mob.

The protesters targeted vehicles of Additional Superintendent of Police Rajendra Dahale and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) P R Singh and other police officials accompanying them to the site of desecration.

''Mr P R Singh suffered serious injuries and has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Mission hospital here, while Mr Dahale, who also suffered injuries is being treated at a local hospital,'' DSP Prasad said. The remaining injured policemen are being treated at local civil hospital.

Of the three people injured in police firing, two have been shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Aurangabad and the other person is being treated at the local civil hospital.

The protestors torched five vehicles, including a State Transport bus and attacked police vehicles, forcing the police to open fire to quell the agitated mob, after their attempt to disperse them by bursting teargas shells and lathi-charge failed, police sources said.

Schools, commercial establishments, markets, shops remained closed following the violent protests.

Several schools have postponed their annual examinations in view of the tense situation, sources said.

Inspector General of Police (Special) Aurangabad range Bhagwantrao More, who has been camping in the troubled town, described the situation as ''tense but under control''.

The Jalna incident evoked reaction from Aurangabad and Nanded towns in Marathwada, where sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported during the day.

UNI