Mirchpur violence: Jats continue rail blockade

JIND - Hundreds of Jat community members continued to squat on railway tracks near here for the second day Sunday, disrupting train services over their demand for a fresh CBI probe into the Mirchpur caste violence last year.

The members of the Jat Mahapanchayat, including many women, have been sitting on the railway track in Julani village near the Jind railway station since Saturday, refusing to budge until their demands are met.

The Jat Mahapanchayat - a mega conclave of community leaders - had issued an ultimatum to the state government to accept their demands before Jan 15.

Apart from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, The protesters are also demanding that the trial in the case be shifted from New Delhi to Hisar and the arrested Jat youths be released.

The trial was shifted to New Delhi last month on the directions of the Supreme Court. A total of 98 Jat youths were arrested in the case.

Mirchpur village, in Hisar district, hit the headlines last year when it was rocked by an arson attack by the dominant upper caste Jat members on a row of houses of the Dalit (Balmiki) families.

As many as 150 lower caste Dalit families were driven out of the village and their homes were torched, about 300 km from Chandigarh, April 21 last year.

A 70-year-old man and his 18-year-old physically challenged daughter were killed in the fire in their home during the attack.