Police start attaching Jat agitators' properties

CHANDIGARH: Acting on the Supreme Court's order regarding recovering damage to nation's assets from the agitators who vandalize them, Haryana Police have started the process of attaching the properties of Jat quota stir violence cases accused.
Dilawar Singh, an accused in the case filed following violence at Haryana finance minister Abhimanyu Singh's house in Rohtak, is the latest on police list.The special investigation team (SIT) recently moved court to attach his properties in Rohtak district.
An ex-serviceman, Dilawar, was among the 20 persons arrested by the SIT constituted to probe cases of violence and rioting at house of the minister. This is apparently the first time that the state government has started this kind of action.
Rohtak SSP Rakesh Arya said that so far properties of around 40 persons had been attached. "This procedure is followed only after the investigating officer has enough evidence to establish the involvement of accused in the crime. This is being done at all the places," said Arya.
Haryana police have arrested 567 persons in the 2,110 cases of violence registered in the districts of Karnal, Panipat, Jind, Jhajjar, Hisar, Bhiwani, Rohtak, and Sonipat. Rohtak police have arrested 150 such accused.
Reacting to the development, All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) termed the state government's move "a conspiracy against the community and the families of those lodged in jails for the false cases".
"Who gave this right to the police? All this is to suppress the voice of those who are struggling for their rights. Unfortunately, this is happening at the time when the state government has assured to withdraw the cases after a thorough review of all FIRs. The government had made this promise in the presence of community members," said AIJASS head Yashpal Malik. "We shall certainly oppose this at all the platforms. Else our battery of lawyers, who are defending the cases in various courts, will also oppose this," he added.
Another khap leader Hawa Singh Sangwan called it an anti-Jat act of the police department. "Did they act against those who blocked trains in Rajsthan. And what was the action against the roadways employees who blocked roads. This action is simply aimed at harassing us," said Sangwan.
In February, SC had expressed serious concern over damage of public property during agitations like Patel protests in Gujarat and Jat quota stir in Haryana. The apex court had said that people who indulged in such acts should be made to pay for the loss of nation's assets. The court was hearing petitions filed by Patidar quota stir leader Hardik Patel's plea to quash sedition proceedings against him.