Bayana/Kanavar (Rajasthan), May 28 : Fearing insecurity, doctors refused to conduct postmortem without the presence of District authorities and security cover in worst ethnic-violence hit Bayana town of Rajasthan on Wednesday.

Army has been deployed in Bayana town of Bharatpur district where sixteen people including a policeman were killed on Friday in a clash between police and members of the Gujjar community.

Gujjar community is demanding Scheduled tribe status that would ensure them reservation in jobs and educational institutions.

The agitators have refused to allow the postmortem and cremation of the corpse until the matter resolves.

“Conducting postmortem in absence of the District Administration would be difficult. If the mob comes, encircles us and interferes in our work, then we would not be able to perform our job,” said K. D. Mittal, coordinator of the primary health centre of Bayana.

Meanwhile terming the death of his father as a sacrifice towards the cause of the community, a son of a deceased refused to withdraw their agitation until their demands are met.

“My father has sacrificed his life for a social cause. Although I am upset but he has lost his life for the cause of the community. Even I am ready to sacrifice my life for the cause. We will not withdraw unless reservation is given to us,” said Ranveer Singh, son of Doogar Singh, a deceased.

The Gujjar community has announced a shut down call for the entire National Capital Region (NCR) for Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Central Government has turned down the Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's proposal recommending four to six per cent reservation to Gujjars under the category of de-notified or nomadic tribes. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government described the proposal as untenable under the constitution.

Consequently ball is back in State Government's court, which will have to decide on the issue sooner than later to prevent further escalation of protests.

In 2007, during a similar agitation in Rajasthan launched by the Gujjar community, around 26 persons were reportedly killed in the violence.