Jat stir: Haryana government withdraws paramilitary forces

With the end of the second phase of Jat stir in Haryana, the state government on Wednesday decided to withdraw paramilitary forces from several districts except Sonipat where the forces would continue to be deployed as a precautionary measure.

"As normalcy has now returned to the state, there is no need to continue with deployment of paramilitary forces. Therefore, it has been decided to do away with forces from the state, except district Sonipat," an official release quoting Haryana's Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Muhammad Akil, said in Chandigarh.

Akil was addressing officers of police and paramilitary forces at Bhiwani on Wednesday.

He said that a situation remained peaceful in several parts of the state during the Jat reservation agitation which had commenced from June 5.

During this period, behaviour of police, administration and paramilitary forces with public remained appreciable and all the three deserve praise for maintaining normalcy, he said.

Akil said it was a challenge for the police to maintain peace and harmony after a call for agitation was given by some organisations.

But the police worked with an aim to ensure that peace in the state was not disturbed at any cost, he added.

The second phase of Jat stir came to an end recently after the discussion between state government representatives and the Jat leaders spearheading the agitation ended on a positive note.

The Jat quota agitation in February had turned violent, in which 30 people lost their lives. Massive damage was caused to property at various places in the state, particularly Rohtak district, which had remained the epicentre of the stir.