Protesters besiege capital for job quotas

Thousands of protesters from an ethnic Indian group burned tyres and blocked roads leading to New Delhi yesterday, bringing a battle for college and government job quotas in which dozens have died closer to the capital.

Huge traffic jams formed on highways leading into the capital. Some train services to towns outside Delhi, including several tourist destinations, were also suspended.

Thousands of stick-wielding ethnic Gujjars shouted slogans and squatted on main roads on the borders of east and north Delhi. They threw stones at police and at places broke windshields of cars and buses.