Jat unrest: Govt. gives 'free hand' to Army to deal with looters

The Indian Army has for the first time been given a free hand by the Centre to take action against those involved in looting amidst the protests by members of the Jat community in Haryana, sources in the Ministry of Defence said.

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Army Chief General Dalbir Singh and Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) briefed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on the current condition in Haryana, following which the army was given a 'free hand' to deal with the looters.

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The Army is planning to intensify their movement and the Rohtak highway is likely to be cleared by tonight.

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Meanwhile, additional troops have been deployed to the violence-hit state to bring the situation under control.

"69 Army columns have reached Haryana and have been deployed, maximum in Jhajjar and Rohtak," Haryana DGP Y.P.?Singhal told the media.

As many as 15 companies of the Reserve Battalion and Haryana Armed Police, three companies of paramilitary forces and two columns of the Army have been deployed so far.

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The Haryana Government had sought to deploy additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and more columns of the Army to control the violent demonstrations.