Five persons were killed and 20 others injured when the ongoing stand-off between Gurjars and Meenas over the ST status issue took a violent turn on Friday in Rajasthan's Dausa and Karauli districts.

Four persons were killed and 20 injured at Lalsot on Dausa when protestors of the Gurjar community, demanding ST status, clashed with the Meenas, Home Secretary V S Singh said, quoting initial reports.

The injured have been rushed to the Lalsot Hospital where the two bodies have also been taken, he said. Some of the injured were discharged after first aid, he said.

In adjoining Karauli district, one person, said to be belonging to the Meena community, which is opposing the Gurjar demand, was shot dead by persons allegedly belonging to the other community in Masalpur area, police said.

The man, a pharmacist, was shot dead when he was proceeding in his two-wheeler scooter near the area in Nangal Pyaribaas, where the Meenas held a Mahapanchayat to decide the future course of action.

Tension prevailed in the two districts where the army and other security forces began heavy patrolling in the wake of the violence.