Two dead in India tribal violence

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Police in India have shot and killed two protesters from the Gujjar tribe, a senior policeman in the state of Rajasthan has told the BBC.

Correspondents say that the number of people killed after a week of violence has now risen to more than 41.

The latest deaths happened in the north-west of the state after police were attacked with stones, police Inspector-General Umesh Mishra said.

Gujjars have demonstrated over the last week to demand better treatment.

On Thursday, thousands of protesters burnt tyres and blocked key roads into the capital Delhi in support of their demands.

Tens of thousands of paramilitary troops and policemen have been deployed to maintain order.

The Gujjars are a large and politically influential tribe spread across the north of the country.

Earlier this month the Rajasthan government announced an aid package worth $60m (£30m) for the community - but this was rejected.

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The Gujjars say they want to be placed on an official list of disadvantaged tribal groups that benefit from preferential recruitment to government jobs and educational institutions.

Mr Mishra said that one policeman was seriously injured in the latest violence in the district of Sawai Madhopur 350km (217 miles) from the state capital, Jodhpur.

"Police were provoked into opening fire when the protesters threw stones at them," he said, "they had no choice because they were under attack."

The Gujjars, who are traditionally shepherds, comprise about 5% of Rajasthan's population.

"Our community is very backward and our children do not have easy access to education and government jobs," one of the Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan, told the AFP news agency.

"Now that we have lost so many people in this struggle, we will withdraw the protests only if the government grants us special tribe status."

The Gujjar protest on Thursday spread to the outskirts of Delhi, where traffic was blocked by hundreds of protesters on the highway that connects the suburbs of Noida and Ghaziabad with Delhi.

The demonstrators have also blocked rail and road access between Rajasthan and Delhi, and a major highway linking the Rajasthan capital, Jaipur, to the city of Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal.

Last year at least 26 people were killed in similar protests.