Three killed in fresh violence in Rajasthan

Jaipur, June 1 (UNI) At least three people were killed and several others injured today in a clash between members of Gujjar and Meena communities in Lalsot town of Dausa district.

According to an official spokesman, Gujjars tried to disrupt a 40,000 strong gathering of Meenas in the Lalsot. Both groups exchanged heavy stone pelting and later clashed in which at least three people were killed.

Meanwhile, shoot at sight orders have been issued at Sawai Madhopur against those found damaging public and private property and disrupting law and order. Similar orders were already in place at Bayana and Bharatpur.

As many as 25 people have been killed so far in the violence arising out of Gujjar's agitation in support of their demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status, including the three casualties at Lalsot.

A caste war was looming large over the desert state between the Gujjars and Meenas with the former demanding their entry into the ST list while the Meenas vowing to keep their turf intact by resisting any tampering with the ST quota.

The Meenas have also given an ultimatum to the government that if the government failed to remove the road block and control violence by the Gujjars it will hit the street to take on Gujjars.

Railway and road traffic in major parts of the state continued to remain paralysed in the wake of the four-day old agitation by the Gujjar community.

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