M A I N   N E W S

Dalit protesters clash with police in Mirchpur
Raman Mohan
Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 13
The police today resorted to a lathi charge to disperse a mob of villagers protesting at the Mini Secretariat here. The protesters belonged to Dubeta, Bithmada and Alipur villages near here. They were protesting against three incidents in these villages involving non-Jat villagers.

The district administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144, CrPC, around the Mini Secretariat in view of a threat to protest given by a non-Jat organisation led by Ved Pal Tanwar.

The crowd gathered at the Mini Secretariat and broke barricades. When the police resisted, the crowd also pelted stones on cops. The police then swung into action and lathi-charged the protesters.

An official spokesman said 11 persons were arrested in connection with the incident. They included Ved Pal Tanwar who, the police claimed, had “instigated” the protesters.

Two protesters and four police personnel were injured in the clash. The injured policmen included Bimla Devi, Inspector, ASI Bhup Singh and head constables Krishan Kumar and Ramphal.

The spokesman said the villagers had met the authorities a few days ago. They were informed that all miscreants involved in the incidents at the three villages had been arrested.

He said Rajpal of Bithmada village had been assaulted when he had gone to Ukalana Mandi, near here, a few days ago. Both accused had been arrested.

In Alipur village, Hari Ram belonging to the Bawaria tribe had been arrested in connection with a theft. Stolen property was also recovered from him. The father of the accused later filed a complaint in a local court, alleging that the sarpanch and his associates were trying to force members of their tribe to leave the village.

So far as the incident in Dubeta village was concerned, all accused in the case of assault on a villager had been arrested.