Curfew in Hisar, army help sought as violence intensifies

HISAR - Curfew was imposed in several parts of Haryana’s Hisar district Tuesday after Jat community members seeking reservation in government jobs and educational institutions went on the rampage, targeting government and private property.

The district administration sought the help of the army to control the situation after the violence erupted again, following Monday’s clashes when one person was killed and several injured as hundreds of Jats demanding quotas went on a rampage in Hisar.

“Curfew has been imposed in all sensitive areas of district Hisar and the army has been called in to assist the district administration in maintaining law and order and ensure safety of life and property,” a state government spokesperson said in Chandigarh Tuesday.

Hisar District Magistrate Yudhvir Singh Khyalia said this had been done as a preventive measure.

The agitators resorted to violence, setting some buildings and vehicles on fire.

Police officials said the mob attacked a public sector bank building, an ATM and also a cotton mill. They also set a few vehicles on fire, including an oil tanker. Two buses of the Haryana Roadways were also set on fire by the protestors near Surrewala chowk.

The Haryana Roadways has suspended all bus operations in the violence affected areas.

The mob also blocked the National Highway (NH) No. 10 connecting Hisar with Delhi and another highway connecting Hisar with state capital Chandigarh, nearly 300 km away.

Leaders of the protesters held an emergency meeting here and set a two-hour ultimatum for the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government to accept their demands.

The protesters also demanded that Subhash Yadav, the superintendent of police (SP) of Hisar who was removed from his post late Monday and was even booked for murder, be arrested immediately.