Jat agitation: Khap leaders to meet in Jind

Powerful khap leaders will meet at Jind town to decide the future course of action on the Jat agitation issue, even as security has been tightened in Hisar -- the epicentre of the movement – on Friday in the wake of the threat by the protesters to block all roads to Delhi.

Hisar Deputy Commissioner Amit Aggarwal said 18 companies of paramilitary forces have already been deputed and another six companies would reach soon.

Security forces conducted a flag march as uneasy calm prevailed in Hisar. Schools in the district were also closed in view of the volatile situation.

Meanwhile, Khap leaders will meet in Jind on Friday in a bid to find an end to the agitation, which has been going on for nearly three weeks now, officials said.

The agitators, demanding quota in government jobs, remained firm on the ultimatum to the Haryana government to unconditionally release all those who had been taken into custody during the movement.

"All those Jats who had been arrested in police action on Monday night should be released unconditionally. We have given the government time till noon after which we will intensify the stir and block all the roads to Delhi and other parts," a Jat leader said.

Hisar, located 155 km from Delhi, has been virtually come under a siege of the protesters as they have paralysed rail traffic for the past 20 days.

On Thursday, the protests by Jats spread to other parts, including Fatehabad and Panipat.

In Fatehabad's Gajuwala village, the miscreants attempted to set on fire a rail track, but security forces' timely intervention prevented any major damage.

The miscreants also clashed with police in Gajuwala.

A police post was torched by the protesters on Wednesday, while a judge's car had been burnt on Tuesday. They had also stormed the premises of Power Grid Corporation following the death of a youth in alleged police firing, prompting the authorities to seek Army's help.