The agitators, demanding scheduled tribe status for their community, put up roadblocks at several important junctions. A high alert has, meanwhile, been sounded in Delhi and neighbouring parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, with the Gujjars declaring that they would observe Thursday as a “black day” to mourn its “martyrs” killed in police firing in Rajasthan.
Earlier in the day, the protesters struck fear among both commuters and local residents as they moved around brandishing swords and other weapons and set ablaze tyres on Gurgaon’s M-G Road area, the hub of the satellite township where most of the major shopping malls are located.
The Gujjars have threatened to bring the entire national capital region to a halt on Thursday. The Centre, fearing that the situation could get out of hand in the Gujjar-dominated areas, has ordered the beefing up of security in sensitive zones: Mehrauli, Ghazipur, Patparganj, Badarpur, Khanpur, Ayanagar, Chilia village and Rampur. Security forces are expected to cordon off these areas.
The Union home secretary, Mr Madhukar Gupta, who is personally monitoring the situation, is in touch with the Delhi police commissioner and the DGPs of UP and Haryana.
The BJP, meanwhile, sent two of its leaders to Jaipur to review the situation.
Chief Minister, Ms Vasundhra Raje, met her ministers and party leaders, including Prakash Javdekar and Kalraj Mishra.
Gujjars at Bayana and Sikandara in eastern Rajasthan have blocked the rail route connecting Mumbai to Delhi, and the national highway linking Jaipur to Agra. Hit by turbulence, the railways on Wednesday cancelled 10 trains passing through Rajasthan for the fifth consecutive day and diverted several others to different routes.