Village that refuses to cremate its dead

This Gurjar village in Rajasthan's Karauli district which lost its sons in Tuesday's police firing refuses to cremate the dead until the community's demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe category is met.

"My son's sacrifice will not go in vain. I am willing to sacrifice more sons to get the demands of my community fulfilled," said Shivcharan Gurjar, father of one Ramvir who died in Tuesday's clashes.

"Villagers from nearby areas are providing supplies in the absence of any state assistance. The police firing proves the intolerance of the government. A peaceful protest was turned into a bloody battle," Shivcharan said.

A teary-eyed Ramniwas, the father of Samay Singh who also fell to police bullets, said, "our sons will not be cremated until our demands are met.

The demand is genuine as is our fight. Our loss can be compensated only if the government grants us ST status". Army medical units arrived at the site and the bodies have been preserved in boxes.