₹5 lakh for kin of Alwar man killed in firing

The district administration on Tuesday announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of the man killed in police firing in Khairthal on Monday. The administration also agreed to send a proposal to the state government for a government job to the man’s widow.

Earlier, Alwar district collector Rajan Vishal asked additional district magistrate-II BL Raman to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the police firing. The collector promised a free and fair probe within seven days.

On Monday, the police opened fire at Dalit protesters when they started vandalizing Khairthal police station and torched vehicles parked there. Three people suffered bullet injuries. One of them, Pawan Kumar, 27, died in hospital. The two others were referred to Jaipur and are in the hospital and are out of danger.

After Kumar’s deaths, his family refused to accept the body for cremation and laid a siege to the hospital. On Tuesday, Dalit organisations also joined in, demanding Rs 50 lakh compensation, a government job to the man’s wife and installation of his statue at Ambedkar Circle in Khairthal, said district Congress president Tikaram Jully, who is a Dalit.

Negotiations between Dalit organisations and district administration continued well past the afternoon. The family agreed to accept the body after compensation was announced and the administration agreed to forward a proposal to the state government for a government job to Kumar’s wife.

The body was handed over to the family after a postmortem on Tuesday evening.

Dalit protesters had vandalised NEB police station too. At least 17 people have suffered injuries in Monday’s protests and clashes. Alwar superintendent of police Rahul Prakash said 95 people had been arrested on charges of arson, rioting and preventing government servants from discharging their duty.

After Monday’s violence, 15 battalions of additional forces were rushed to Alwar. This includes three companies of Rapid Action Force, seven of Rajasthan Armed Constabulary and one of Special Task Force.

Alwar collector Rajan Vishal said cotton worth Rs 2 crore was gutted in Khairthal agriculture mandi after protesters set it on fire.

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