Gujjars organise bandh in four towns; block rail routes for 3rd day

Jaipur, Jun 4 (UNI) Gujjar protesters organised a 'bandh' in four towns of Rajasthan and blocked Jaipur-Delhi, Jaipur-Agra and Alwar-Mathura rail routes for the third successive day today.

Barring Nagar (Bharatpur), the 'bandh' call evoked a good response in Nawalgarh (Jhunjhunu), Dataramgarh (Sikar) and Ramganj Mandi (Kota). No untoward incident was reported from any place, police sources said.

Women protesters, who had blocked the Jaipur-Delhi and Jaipur-Agra rail routes since Sunday evening, were still staging 'dharna' near Arnia railway station in Dausa district.

The protesters had also damaged rail tracks at this spot, police said.

Another mob of Gujjar youths was sitting on rail tracks at the Brij Nagar station in Bharatpur district for the past two days, blocking the Alwar-Mathura route.

The busy Delhi-Mumbai route via Bayana, Sawai Madhopur Kota has already been closed since May 23 due to 'dharna' by Gujjars on rail tracks at Pillukapura-Karwadi near Bayana.

Funeral of two victims who died in police firing in Kushalipura in Saai Madhopur on Friday last, was performed today.

A solution to the agitation was still not in sight as the process and efforts for early opening of formal talks were hindered due to post-mortem and subsequent cremation of firing victims.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said there was no definte headway in the dialogue process but he was expecting a breakthrough in the next two days.

He said the party and the state government were in touch with the agitating Gujjar leaders.

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