WORLD
Death toll from India caste riots rises to 19
![Death toll from India caste riots rises to 19](/files/2016/1/1200x630/14561583292608065244_1200x630.jpg)
Baku, February 22 AZERTAC
The death toll from caste riots in northern India has risen to 19 with another 200 people wounded.
“Nineteen people have died and more than 200 are injured,” said PK Das, additional chief secretary for Haryana state, adding that the violence now appeared to be abating and curfews had been lifted in some districts.
According to Daily Times, New Delhi faced a water crisis after mobs shut down a key supply. Thousands of troops with shoot-on-sight orders were deployed on Saturday in Haryana state after week-long protests turned violent, with rioters setting fire to homes and railway stations and blocking highways.
One of India’s largest carmakers, Maruti Suzuki, suspended operations at its two Haryana plants after the protests disrupted supplies of components, a spokesman said.Jats are the single largest community in Haryana, with nearly eight million members, and are traditionally a farming community. They have been angered by comments in recent weeks by a BJP leader who opposed reservations for them.