Centre sends forces to Rajasthan, alerts Delhi, Haryana, UP

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) The Centre has sent an additional paramilitary forces to Rajasthan, where agitation by Gujjars seeking ST status turned violent claiming five lives, and alerted neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

A Home Ministry spokesman today said on the request of the State Government, some RAF companies were sent to Rajasthan yesterday and some more companies of CRPF and RAF have been sent today.

Meanwhile, an advisory has been issued to Haryana, Rajasthan, UP and Delhi to remain alert and prevent any untoward incident in view of today's incidents in Rajasthan.

The Home Ministry is in constant touch with the State Government.

Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and the Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat have been in close contact with senior officers of Rajasthan government including the DGP.

Six companies of RAF have been sent from Aligarh to Bayana along with three companies of CRPF. Two companies of CRPF has been deployed in Jaipur and one in Kotputli, which has Gujjar population.

The army has already been alerted in the state where five people were killed, including a policeman, and several others injured in police firing and violence in Rajasthan during an agitation staged by Gujjars seeking ST status for the community.

Police opened fire on an irate mob of Gujjar demonstrators blocking rail traffic as part of their revived agitation to seek ST status for the community. The Army has been alerted after the violence.

About 3000 demonstrators had blocked the railway tracks on busy Delhi-Mumbai route near Dumariya railway station in Bharatpur district this morning, on a call given by Gujjar Reservation Action Committee leader Kirorsingh Bainsla to revive its agitation for the demand after a gap of over seven months.

Police opened fire when a bid to control the situation by use of teargas proved to be ineffective. Four people died and several sustained injuries in the firing.

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