E-Paper
Judicial panel set up to probe Jat violence
The Haryana government on Friday appointed a two-member commission of inquiry headed by Justice (retd) SN Jha to investigate what caused the Jat quota violence that rocked the state from February 18 to 23.
The Haryana government on Friday appointed a two-member commission of inquiry headed by Justice (retd) SN Jha to investigate what caused the Jat quota violence that rocked the state from February 18 to 23.
The commission will probe the sequence of events leading to the agitation and violence leading to loss of lives, damage to private and public property, road blockades, illegal felling of trees and violation of human rights in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Jind, Hisar, Kaithal and Bhiwani districts.
The state government had earlier appointed former IPS officer Prakash Singh to investigate into the acts of omission and commission on part of the police and civil administration and suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. However, his appointment was not made under the Commission of Inquiry Act.
Dozens of people were killed on February when Jat protesters clashed with forces and other groups, torched buildings and vehicles and destroyed public and private property.
The state government had told Punjab and Haryana high court that 2,110 FIRs were registered and 567 people arrested in connection with the violence and loss of property during the quota agitation.
An official spokesperson said that the commission would also probe the possibility of a deep-rooted conspiracy to disturb social harmony.
The other member of the commission is former IPS officer NC Padhi, a former Intelligence Bureau sleuth.
Chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, had recently announced in the assembly that a judicial inquiry would be ordered to probe the incidents of arson and violence during the reservation agitation.
