Jat stir: 4,800 Army personnel deployed

“Besides adequate deployment of police personnel, as many as 48 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed at various places in the state keeping in view the stir call from Sunday. We have asked for 15 more companies from the Centre,” Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Ram Niwas said on Saturday.

He said, “We are not taking any chance, even though only one group was going ahead with the dharna.”

He also said that police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to guard the Western Yamuna Canal in Sonipat district. Protesters had disrupted water supply to the national capital by damaging the Carrier-Lined Channel (CLC) of Munak Canal during the earlier Jat agitation in February. The administration has specified one spot in each district where people can peacefully hold dharna, officials said.

However, officials said they were wary of the fact that protesters may attempt to block national highways and rail tracks, like in February, and therefore they have put maximum security to prevent a repeat of the situation. 

Haryana police has cancelled leave of all personnel except in emergency cases till further orders. 

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc have already been imposed in seven sensitive districts of Haryana barring the gathering of five or more persons and paramilitary forces have been conducting flag marches during the past few days.