Jat quota stir 2016: 10 get 3 years in jail for blocking Bhiwani road
Representational Image/ Express Photo Representational Image/ Express Photo
A local court in Haryana has awarded three years imprisonment to 10 Jat agitators for allegedly blocking a road in Bhiwani district in February 2016. The police had alleged that the Jat agitators had blocked a local road by cutting trees. The decision of the court has come at a time when farmers have announced a plan to block national highways and state highways on June 16 to protest firing on farmers in Madhya Pradesh recently. In the case of Jat agitation, the alleged agitators had blocked Tosham-Siwani road by cutting trees on February 17, 2016. Then, the police had booked ten residents of a neighbouring village, Saral.
After the matter went to court and summons were issued, the accused appeared before the court on August 9. Tosham’s Sub Divisional Magistrate Saurabh Gupta on Tuesday awarded three years imprisonment to them apart from a fine of Rs 10,000 each. Those convicted are: Mahender, Sandeep, Om Prakash, Dharambir, Thambu, Bharat Singh, Vinod, Roshan, Raghbir and Dharambir.
Lawyer for the accused, Pardeep Kumar Phogat, told The Indian Express that the court had granted them interim bail for one month till filing an appeal in sessions court. “We will file an appeal to challenge the order. The accused were not involved in any blockage of the road,” said Phogat.
Various Jat organisations had launched an agitation in February 2016 demanding reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the community members. The agitation had turned violent on February 19, 2016 after caste conflicts in Rohtak. As many 31 persons had died and more than 300 had received injuries in caste clashes and police firing apart from loss of government and private property worth crores.
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