Thursday, September 1 2005 10:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chandigarh: Alleging police inaction in a murder case, a group of people yesterday (August 31, 2005) torched nearly 30 houses belonging to dalits in Gohana town in Sonepat district of Haryana, prompting police to fire in the air to quell violence.

Unconfirmed reports said nearly 60 houses were set ablaze in village Butana Barha, a dalit settlement, by the arsonists who belonged to the dominant Jat community.

The Haryana Government said 25 to 30 houses were torched by the anti-socials, adding the situation was now under control.

Police fired 12 shots in the air to bring the situation under control.

Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Public Relations) Sanjay Kothari and Chief Minister's Media Adviser Sunder Pal told reporters that prohibitory orders had been clamped in the town.

The loss of property in violence was being assessed, Kothari said.

Enraged over what they called 'police indifference' in investigating the murder of a financier, some persons, who had come to participate in a Panchayat, set afire the dalit houses.

Inspector General of Police (Rohtak) V N Rai and Sonepat's Superintendent of Police S K Goel said that a Panchayat of about 12 villages was held in Gohana prior to the incident.