Reuters AlertNet Lite - Ethnic protests spread in India, two dead

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Ethnic protests spread in India, two dead

31 May 2007 12:05:20 GMT
Source: Reuters

JAIPUR, India, May 31 (Reuters) - Police in India killed two ethnic Gujjars on Thursday during a protest for reserved places in government jobs and colleges, two days after 13 members of the community were shot dead by police.

The latest deaths took place in the Sawai Madhopur district of the western state of Rajasthan -- hugely popular with foreign tourists -- where Gujjars have been demanding affirmative action.

Gujjars have also been protesting Tuesday's killings of their community members by police during violent clashes. One policeman was also killed.

On Thursday, Gujjars burnt police posts, blocked highways and set government vehicles on fire in several parts of Rajasthan.

The main highway between Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, and Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, was blocked in places.

"The situation is volatile," a senior official said.

Television news footage showed Gujjars on the side of a hill throwing bricks on the New Delhi-Jaipur highway, and a railway station burning after it was attacked by demonstrators.

Gujjars, a community of agriculturalists and herdspeople, also damaged rail tracks and disrupted the movement of trains in Rajasthan.

Trains coming in from neighbouring states were cancelled or delayed. TV footage also showed buses, cars and trucks burning in several parts of Rajasthan.

Road blockages were being reported from neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, causing massive traffic snarl-ups, with protests also in New Delhi.

India has quotas for lower caste and tribal groups in government jobs and colleges but more groups are demanding access to reserved seats, fuelling social tension and protests.

Last year, several upper-caste students were hurt in protests against a government move to reserve more seats for lower caste groups in federally-run colleges.

In Rajasthan, Gujjars constitute between 4 to 7 percent of the state's 57-million population. Gujjars are also present in large numbers in several northern states.

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Last updated:Thu May 31 12:06:31 2007