Gujjar stir persists; road, rail traffic affected

Braving blistering heat, Gujjars blocked road and rail traffic and staged protest marches in some parts of North and Central India as their stir in support of their brethren in Rajasthan persisted today.

Gujjars, demanding a scheduled tribe tag in Rajasthan, gave a call for a shutdown in Delhi and in Gwalior tomorrow, as police intensified vigil to maintain law and order.

Protesters blocked the Gwalior-Sabalgarh passenger train at Semalia near Gwalior, and pelted stones at it. No one, however, injured.

Demanding dismissal of the Rajasthan government, they staged a demonstration near MP Chief Minister's residence in Bhopal.

Effigies of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje were torched in some towns as protesters gave the call for a general strike in Gwalior tomorrow.

In the national capital, hundreds of Gujjars, in a show of strength, assembled near Parliament Street this morning demading a CBI probe into the police firing and caste clashes in Rajasthan.

A congregation of community leaders also gave a call for for a shutdown in Delhi tomorrow prompting the police to step up vigil in sensitive areas.