Protesters block Sikar, Ajmer-Delhi highway for hours

Jaipur, Sep 16 (IANS) Thousands of workers of the Saini-Mali and Kushwaha Samaj blocked the Sikar and Ajmer-Delhi highway for hours while calling for their 11-point demands.Vehicles stopped on the highway at around 12.30 p.m. on Thursday. On receiving the information, two battalions were sent to the spot.Till around 3 a.m. on Thursday, officials tried to pacify the protesters but all efforts turned futile as they refused to unblock the highway. People slept on the road by rolling out their beds.As the situation deteriorated, Additional Commissioner Ajaypal Lamba and Kailash Vishnoi also reached the spot late in the night and tried to convince the people.When the protesters did not agree till around 4.30 a.m., the police resorted to lathi-charge which was followed by heavy stone pelting. Government and private vehicles were also damaged in the incident.After the lathi charge, the protesters were removed, after which traffic resumed.According to reports, the demonstrators first went to the CMO to raise their demands on Thursday evening, but there was consensus which led to them blocking the highway.
--IANS arc/ksk/

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