Gujjar protests disrupt Delhi's traffic

Traffic was affected in some parts of Delhi on Wednesday as Gujjars blocked roads in support of the agitation launched by the community seeking Scheduled Tribe status.

Vehicular movement was affected as the agitating protestors erected tents on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road ahead of Thursday's 'rasta roko' agitation in the National Capital Region. The police have already deployed over 10,000 personnel across the capital, especially in the Gujjar strongholds like Mehrauli, Ghazipur, Patparganj, Badarpur, Khanpur, Ayanagar, Chilla village and Rampur, anticipating a strong showing by the community during the agitation.

In view of the Gujjars' call for a strike on Thursday, the Union home ministry on Tuesday reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting and had put the NCR on high alert. Sources said that since the Gujjar unrest was fast reaching the NCR, which has already witnessed sporadic protests, the security establishment did not want to leave anything to chance.

The Gujjar community has threatened to block traffic in different parts of the capital in support of their demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The presence of a number of Gujjar-dominated pockets on the outskirts of Delhi has become a matter of concern for the home ministry, sources said.