Violence continues in Haryana, curfew clamped in two more towns

Chandigarh: Haryana remained on the boil on Saturday as the Jat stir unleashed fresh incidents of violence and arson in which a railway station, a police station and some buildings were set ablaze even as the Army had to use choppers to reach parts of blocked Rohtak district.
Curfew was clamped in three more towns -- Sonipat, Gohana (Sonipat) and Jhajjar -- on Saturday as sporadic incidents of arson continued during the night and later in the day in addition to Rohtak and Bhiwani districts where it is already in place and shoot-at-sight orders issued on Friday.
Flag marches were conducted by Army in Rohtak and Bhiwani districts. Road and Railway traffic continued to be affected in the state due to blockades resulting in disruption of services from Delhi and beyond to Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh through various National Highways, including NH 44 (Delhi Ambala) and NH 10 (Delhi-Hissar- Fazilka).
Several trains were cancelled by Railway authorities. Police said some persons had pelted stones at the Jhajjar residence of Haryana Minister O. P. Dhankar, but no one was injured in the incident.
As the violence by Jat protesters demanding quota continued unabated, Chief Minister Manohar Khattar issued a fresh appeal to the people to maintain peace and law and order, saying government would find a solution to the problem.
"Such incidents create disharmony," he said here after reviewing the situation with his ministerial colleagues and senior civil and police officers.
Appealing to protesters to end their protest, Khattar said that nothing will be gained by destroying public property, as more central forces were rushed to the state.
Normal life remained disrupted in large parts of the state with shops and commercial establishments besides schools remaining closed, mobile internet services being suspended in many districts, and transportation of essential commodities, including LPG, milk and vegetables, also being adversely affected.
Protesters have also blocked NH-44 near Nangal village in Sonipat district and near Panipat affecting movement of traffic, which connects Punjab, HP, Chandigarh and J&K. Petrol pumps in various areas have gone dry as fresh supplies are not being received.
In Meham. a police Station and some adjoining buildings were torched by the protesters. Budha Khera Railway Station was set ablaze in Jind district resulting in damage to furniture and official records. The railway station falls on Jind-Panipat rail route. Despite fresh incidents of violence being reported, State Police chief Yashpal Singhal claimed that the situation had improved since Friday.
He said that one person was killed in an incident of violence at Rohtak on Friday. Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of five or more persons and taking out of processions have been clamped in more districts including Panipat, Hissar, Jhajjar, Jind and Kaithal.