NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Caste-related protests in India's western state of Gujarat have claimed the lives of seven people, local media reported Wednesday.
On Tuesday, representatives of influential Patidar caste held a protest in Gujarat's largest city Ahmedabad, demanding places for government jobs and educational institutions to be reserved for members of their community.
Five people were killed in clashes between protesters and police in Ahmedabad, and two people died as a result of an alleged police firing in the northern Gujarat city of Palanpur, according to India’s NDTV news portal.
All educational institutions and government offices located in Ahmedabad are closed. The government reinforced local law enforcement in Gujarat with units from India’s Rapid Action Force and anti-riot police.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
