Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Anita Yadav on Monday said the law and order situation in the district is under control but added that curfew would continue for a few more days as a precautionary measure.
Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner Anita Yadav on Monday said the law and order situation in the district is under control but added that curfew would continue for a few more days as a precautionary measure.
"The situation is under control. We have assured people that we will not let the law and order situation deteriorate, and thus, they need not panic or fear," said Yadav. She, however, said the curfew and night patrolling would go on to make the people feel safe and secure.
Divulging details of the causalities and injuries, Yadav said, "Eight civilians have been reported killed in the agitation so far. As many as 20 police and army personnel were injured, while eight to ten civilians also received injuries."
"Apart from this, a lot of public and private properties have been damaged. Houses and shops were set ablaze, though we have not made an assessment of the property loss," she added.
'Casualties' in Sonipat as mob clashes with security forces
A stone-pelting mob on Monday attacked personnel of army and paramilitary forces who were trying to clear the road blockade in Sonipat, leading to a clash in which there were some "casualties".
"Yes, there are casualties, may be one or three, but I can't give any exact figure immediately," Sonipat Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan said.
He said the personnel of Army, paramilitary forces and the police who were trying to clear the road blockade were attacked by the mob which pelted stones on them and used lathis and other things, leaving many of the security forces also injured in the process.
The mob went berserk setting on fire government vehicles, indulging in vandalism and attacking the security forces, the DC said.
Police detain jat community people during their reservation movement in Faridabad on Sunday. Image Courtesy: PTI
When asked as to why the banks and ATMs were set on fire by the agitators and why the police acted as mute spectators, Yadav said, "Initially, we had limited resources and police personnel, and our priority was to protect people. A number of police personnel from the prescribed number of police force for the district have been deployed in Rohtak following which we have repeatedly been demanding army deployment to contain the situation. And, as soon as the army arrived here, the situation was brought under control."
However, she admitted that the loss to banks and ATMs could have been prevented.
Curfew lifted from Hissar and Hansi
Curfew was lifted from Hissar and Hansi towns in Jat stir-hit Haryana on Monday. An official spokesman said that curfew has been lifted in view of the improvement in the situation.
Security personnel will keep a vigil till restoration of normalcy, he said. Road traffic on national and state highways from Hissar to various destinations, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Sirsa, Siwani and Bhiwani, however, remained suspended.
The Deputy Commissioner, however, downplayed media posers that policemen fled from the police stations and joined the agitation in civilian clothes, saying she was unaware about any such reports.
"As far as my knowledge is concerned, the policemen fully assisted us in bringing the law and order situation under control," she said.
Spokesman of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti Ram Bhagat Malik said in Hissar that they would hold a meeting on Monday afternoon and then decide on the future course of action.
Industry body ASSOCHAM has pegged the loss of about Rs 20,000 crore because of the Jat agitation on account of burning and destroying of public and private property. Trade and industry loss is maximum in the affected areas of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Hissar, Bhiwani, Jind, Gohana, Sonipat, Kaithal, Karnal and Panipat, it said.
(With Agencies)
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