Gujjars' agitation turns violent in UP

Lucknow, June 2 (UNI) The agitation by the Gujjar commuinity in parts of western Uttar Pradesh continuing for the past four days, turned violent today.

The community is holding agitation in the state to protest police firing on Gujjars in Rajasthan who were demanding Scheduled Tribe status, which left several people dead.

A mob led by Gujjar leaders damaged railway tracks at village Dankaur in Gautam Buddha Nagar this morning, disrupting rail traffic on the busy Delhi-Aligarh route. They had gathered near the railway tracks and damaged three feet of railway line and also stopped the Delhi-Shamli passenger train.

While agitators were slowly dispersing from the area, it could take hours for the authorities to rapair the damaged, track police sources said here.

The agitators from Maicha village made an abortive attempt to uproot railway track, at Ajaibpur railway station in Dadri. Reports from Loni in Ghaziabad and Aligarh claim trains were stopped by agitators. ''The lines have been cleared and the rail traffic is normal,'' said officers at the DGP office here.

So far the Gujjar agitation in UP had been limited to burning in effigy Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje Scindia and handing over memorandam to district magistrates. But today it took an ugly turn.

A report from Bareilly said two unidentified persobs tried to torch a roadways bus near satellite bus stand. Though alert policemen doused the fire, the identity of the miscreants could not be ascertained.

Several trains, including Sealdah Rajdhani and Marudhar Express have been diverted. Some of the trains also stand cancelled.

Gujjars in Meerut, Mathura, Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad had been holding demonstrations to protest police firing on members of their community which left at least 24 people dead. A demonstration by Gujjar Ekta Manch in Sector 27 of Noida resulted in a traffic jam in the area. The demonstrators also torched the effigy of the Rajasthan Chief Minister.

Over 1000 passengers were stranded at the Idgah bus stand in Agra. Roadways employees union and some local restaurant owners have been organsing 'langar' for the stranded passengers. The UP roadways is incurring a loss of Rs 5 lakh per day following agitation in neighbouring Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, UP has sent three companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to Rajasthan on the request of that government.

Besides, four PAC companies have been deployed in Agra to maintain calm in Gujjar-dominated areas. While two companies have been attached with Khairagarh police station, the remaining have been attached with Siyana police station.

UNI