Three cops injured as ‘Ahir regiment’ protesters clash with police; over 200 detained, later released

We removed them from the highway and took 225 into preventive detention. The remaining protesters then started protesting on service lanes and the main carriageway and began pelting stones at us, police said

Over 200 men were detained and three police officers injured in a clash between police teams and protesters who are demanding a separate Ahir regiment in the Indian Army, in Gurugram on Friday. At least two cases were registered against protesters, police said.

Hundreds of people from across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh had gathered near the toll plaza Friday morning to press for the demand for an ‘Ahir regiment’ in the Army. (ANI)

Suresh Panghal, assistant commissioner of police (Manesar), said the protesters held a meeting at 10 am and blocked NH48 by stationing their tractor-trolleys and vehicles on the highway, which resulted in traffic congestion. “Within minutes, we removed them from the highway and took 225 into preventive detention. The remaining protesters then started protesting on service lanes and the main carriageway and began pelting stones. The detained protesters were set free late in the evening,” he said.

Members of the Sanyunkt Ahir Regiment Morcha have been camping at Kherki Daula toll paza since February 4. The Gurugram traffic police had issued an advisory on Thursday recommending diversions for commuters.

Hundreds of people from across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh had gathered near the toll plaza Friday morning to press for the demand for an ‘Ahir regiment’ in the Army, and they said they will continue to protest till their demands were met.

Traffic movement was slowed down from Manesar to Rajeev Chowk in Gurugram for more than five hours despite heavy police deployment.

Arun Yadav, a member of Sanyunkt Ahir Regiment Morcha and a resident of Kherki Daula village, said the protesters had no intention to disturb vehicular movement — they only wanted to put pressure on the government. “We protested at the same spot earlier in 2018 and later in another part of the country. Despite tall claims, nothing has been done. This has forced us to start the protest again,” he said.

The Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha, a group comprising members of the Ahir community from south Haryana, has been spearheading the demand for a separate Ahir regiment in the Indian Army. Members of the group, which was registered as a trust in March 2021, led several protests in 2018 and sat on a hunger strike for nine days before ending the agitation after assurances from the government.

Sochand, the sarpanch of Sekhopur, said they will block the highway again if they do not receive a response from the government. “Even if some of us are arrested, we will not stop here, we will take this protest to another level,” he said.