Jat agitation disrupts road, rail traffic in Haryana

Chandigarh, Feb 17: Students of Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) and some other institutions today came out in support of the Jat agitation, which badly disrupted road and rail traffic even as police booked 1000 protesters for causing inconvenience to the public.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has invited the agitators, who are demanding OBC quota, for talks later in the day.

However, there was no let up in the protests, which have also spread to Sonipat, Bhiwani and Hisar districts with many schools in the affected parts declaring a holiday.

Protests today erupted outside the Maharishi Dayanand University (MDU) in Rohtak with several students raising slogans demanding reservation for the community.

The varsity students were squatting outside the Gate 2 of the University, which also leads to the residence of Haryana's Finance Minister, Capt Abhimanyu.

The blockade put up by the protesters disrupted rail traffic on the Rohtak-Delhi section with many trains cancelled or diverted. The agitators continued to block the roads from Rohtak to Delhi by placing truck/bus tyres and branches on the roads.

The roads to Sonipat, Jhajjar also remained blocked while those leading to Hisar, Jind and Bhiwani saw disruption. The protesters also blocked the NH-10 passing through Sampla town in Rohtak district.

The Khap leaders in Bhiwani sealed the Dadri-Jhajjar-Delhi road and burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister. The police have booked more than 1,000 persons for causing inconvenience to the general public and others.

Apprehending law and order trouble during Jat agitation, additional police force has been sent to sites where the protesters had blocked highways and were squatting on rail tracks.

PTI