M A I N   N E W S

Stray incidents of violence in Haryana
Gohana remains peaceful
Tribune Reporters

Probe ordered Chandigarh, August 29 Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today ordered a magisterial inquiry to look into the circumstances leading to the murder of a Dalit youth, Rakesh alias Lara, in Gohana and the subsequent events, which occurred in that town yesterday. Stating this here, chief secretary Prem Prashant said the inquiry would be conducted by SDM, Gohana, who had been asked to submit his report within 15 days. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 29
Stray incidents of violence marked the partial bandh in Haryana today. The call for the bandh was given by the All-India Balmiki Mahasabha to protest against the killing of a Dalit youth in Gohana on August 27.

However, the situation in Gohana, which witnessed violence yesterday when an angry Dalit mob went on rampage to protest the killing of Rakesh alias Lara, was peaceful. The town observed a complete bandh. Even the educational institutions remained closed. Shopskeepers in many towns preferred to down their shutters, fearing violence at the hands of protesting Dalits.

In Bhiwani two Haryana Roadways buses were set on fire. The mobs stoned vehicles and shops at a number of places in the state. If members of the Dalit community were injured in police action, a few policemen also sustained injuries in stone throwing by the mob. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony. He said the incident should not be given caste colour and it should be treated what it was — a crime.

Protesters disperse after the police cane-charged them near mini- secretariat in Karnal on Wednesday. — Photo by Vijay Sharma

BHIWANI: The irate Dalits today set on fire two Haryana Roadways buses. They also smashed windowpanes of one more bus. The police fired in air as well resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the mob. The town observed a complete bandh in view of the death of former Chief Minister Banarsi Dass Gupta, while the angry Balmiki youth roamed in groups and pelted stones on a few shops, which were open.

KARNAL: Two policemen were injured when the protesting Dalits pelted stones on them. The protesters marched from the Ambedkar Chowk to the mini-secretariat. When the police tried to stop them from proceeding further, the protesters indulged in stone throwing, injuring SI Karnail Singh and ASI Mahinder Singh. The police cane-charged the crowd, which soon dispersed.

GOHANA: The town observed a complete bandh on Wednesday. The situation was tense but under control. Members of the Balmiki community held a protest at Sonepat and handed over a memorandum to the SDM demanding immediate arrest of the guilty. MLA from Gohana Dharam Pal singh Malik was manhandled by certain members of the Balmiki community, including women, when he went to their locality to condol the death of Lara.

YAMUNANAGAR (TNS): Members of Dalit community on Wednesday damaged several shops and vehicles and forced shopkeepers to down shutters here during a bandh call given by different Dalit organisations in protest against the killing of a Dalit youth in Gohana. The band in the district was near complete.

At around 9 am a large number of members of the community gathered at the municipal committee, Yamunanagar, under the banner of the Bhartiya Balmiki Dharam Sabha in the morning and raised slogans against the government. Later they took out a protest march and started forcing shopkeepers to close shops. In the meanwhile, motorcycle borne youths carrying swords and batons also joined them started damaging two wheelers and shops, including three jewelery shops.