Violence continues as Gujjars call for bandh, toll goes up to 15

Jaipur, May 30 (UNI) Even as the death toll in yesterday's violence mounted to 15, members of the Gujjar community went on a rampage today in Dausa and other parts of Rajasthan while enforcing a state-wide bandh to press for granting them ST status, forcing the authorities to send reinforcements to affected areas.

The large-scale violence in the state, which has hit the tourism industry, continued for the second day, even as the State Gujjar Reservation Action Committee called for the intensification of the agitation.

Mobs damaged railway tracks, signals and crossings in Dausa, which is represented in the Lok Sabha by high-profile Congress leader Sachin Pilot. As many as seven people were killed in the district when police opened fire to quell the mobs yesterday.

Mr Pilot, who visited his constituency today, demanded that the BJP Government in the state own moral responsibility for the police firing on the protesters and resign immediately.

''Short of the Government going, there is no solution to the impasse with the agitation spreading to Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh and outer parts of Delhi,'' he told reporters in Delhi after his return from Peepalikheda on the Jaipur-Agra Highway where, he said, bodies of six persons were still lying there for more than 32 hours with no State representative turning up to soothe the anger ofthe community.

The situation was again reviewed at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje here, which decided to send a four-member Ministerial team to hold talks with Gujjar community leaders.

Army and para military forces were called out in Bandikui of Dausa district today after protestors set afire two buses in Divai and Sikandra near Bandikui and damaged at least two km of railway tracks near Bharatpur railway station.

A mob set on fire the Atal Ban police post near Bharatpur and two huts near Kali ki Holi Bagichi, which resulted in a prolonged traffic jam in the area.

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