Gorakhpur: Violent protests rocked Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh since last week where members of the Nishad community are demanding five per cent job reservation under Scheduled Caste category. Protesters blocked rail traffic and set public property on fire.
The state police has moved extra forces to Gorakhpur to maintain law and order.
On June 7, one person was killed while 12 others including a few policemen were injured as clashes erupted between police and a group of protesters.
Hundreds of persons under the banner of Rastriya Ekta Parishad and Nishad Mahasabha sat on railway tracks of Seehapar-Maghar line, disrupting rail traffic.
The protesters started pelting stones at police officials when they tried to disperse them, prompting the cops to lathicharge, lob tear gas shells and fire in the air, according to an eye-witness.
"One person was killed and 12 others including a few policemen were injured in the incident. The body of the victim is being sent for post-mortem," Superintendent of Police, Rural, Gorakhpur Brijesh Singh said.
The railway tracks have been cleared and police has detained some persons in this regard, he added.
Due to the agitation, running of 20 trains were affected as they were were stopped at different stations, PRO of North-Eastern Railways (NER) Alok Singh had said.
(With additional information from PTI)
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