37 die in caste protests

Protests by one of India's lower castes spread to new areas yesterday as government forces were ordered to evict demonstrators who had blocked highways and railroad tracks, government officials said.

Four days of bloody demonstrations in western India by members of the Gujjar community have so far claimed the lives of 36 protesters and one policeman in the worst-hit Rajasthan state.

The Gujjars are seeking to reclassify their hereditary caste to a lower level, which would allow them to qualify for government jobs and university places reserved for such groups. The government has refused.