Violence erupted in several villages and towns of Rajasthan [EPA]

Police repeatedly opened fire on violent protests by the Gujjar community on Friday and Saturday in half a dozen villages and towns in western Rajasthan state.
 
Gujjars began protesting on Friday in villages and towns across Rajasthan after the government refused to reclassify their caste at a lower social level.
 
On Friday, 15 demonstrators were killed when police fired live ammunition and tear gas to halt rioting.
 
Rohit Kumar Singh, the state information commissioner, said on Sunday that 21 people were killed in clashes on Saturday,

Amanjit Singh Gill, Rajasthan's director-general of police, said security forces in Sikandra, a town 212km north of the Indian capital, New Delhi, fired at protesters on Saturday who torched a police station and two buses and shot and wounded a policeman.

Reclassification would allow the Gujjars to qualify for government jobs and university places reserved for such groups.

A police officer was also beaten to death and at least 70 injured people during the rioting.

Recommend this article...

Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto: