Hisar: The Haryana government on Friday refused to release the Jat leaders and protesters who were arrested in various incidents and arsons over the past week. The Jat agitators have been demanding quota in government jobs. However, the government said there was no agreement with Jats on the issue and if they indulged in destruction of public property, stringent action would be taken against them. The agitators early on Friday morning blocked the railway track at Hisar, forcing paramilitary forces to open the Fatehabad track.
Meanwhile, Khap leaders have announced a meet in Jind later in the day in a bid to find an end to the agitation, which has been going on for nearly three weeks now, officials said.
The agitators had given an ultimatum to the Haryana government to unconditionally release all those who had been taken into custody during the movement.
"All those Jats who had been arrested in police action on Monday night should be released unconditionally. We have given the government time till (Friday) noon after which we will intensify the stir and block all the roads to Delhi and other parts," a Jat leader said.
Hisar, located 155 km from Delhi, has been virtually under a siege of the protesters as they have paralysed rail traffic for the past 20 days.
On Thursday, the protests by Jats spread to other parts, including Fatehabad and Panipat. In Fatehabad's Gajuwala village, the miscreants attempted to set on fire a rail track, but security forces' timely intervention prevented any major damage. The miscreants also clashed with police in Gajuwala.
A police post in Hisar was torched by the protesters on Wednesday, while a judge's car had been burnt on Tuesday. They had also stormed the premises of Power Grid Corporation following the death of a youth in alleged police firing, prompting the authorities to seek Army's help.
With additional information from PTI
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