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Explained: How Kazakhstan protests started and the bigger picture

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3 years ago

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Explained: How Kazakhstan protests started and the bigger picture

Many cities across Kazakhstan have witnessed unrest as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices rise sharply, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets against the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which most Kazakhs use as fuel for their cars sharp rise.

The price hike comes as the country ends a gradual transition to electronic trading of LPG to end state subsidies for the fuel and let the market determine prices.

The protests continued despite the government’s announcement on Tuesday to cut fuel prices to lower levels than before the hike and President Tokayev’s dismissal of his cabinet on Wednesday. What is the main problem?

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Fuel market reforms, first proposed in 2015, were implemented earlier this month. It seeks to remove national price caps on butane and propane – often referred to as “poor man’s road fuels” due to their low cost – while ensuring that local markets are well-supplied. Oil producers often face shortages of butane and propane.

When prices are fully liberalized on Saturday, January 1, the government expects supply in the domestic market to increase and help address chronic shortages.

But the measure backfired as prices almost doubled overnight to 120 tenge per liter.

Where did the protests start?

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Popular anger first spread to oil-rich western Kazakhstan over the weekend. By Tuesday, the entire country was under its control.

Public anger was already running high as inflation rose to nearly 9% year-on-year – the highest level in more than five years – leading the central bank to raise interest rates to 9.75%.

An estimated 1 million people live below the poverty line in this resource-rich country of 19 million.

The protests have yet to have an impact on Kazakhstan’s oil production.

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Eight police officers killed in protests

Eight police and National Guard soldiers were killed in the riots on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sputnik reported.

Demonstrators took control of the airport in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, causing flight cancellations, Reuters reported.

President Tokayev said in a televised address that foreign-trained “terrorist” gangs were seizing buildings, infrastructure and weapons and hijacking five planes, including foreign ones, at Almaty airport.

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A resident of Almaty told Reuters that vodka was being distributed in Almaty’s main square. “Complete anarchy in the streets,” he added.

The Armenian Prime Minister said on Thursday that the Russian-led state security coalition of the former Soviet Union will send peacekeepers to Kazakhstan.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times

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2 ‘Kala Jatheri gang members’ killed in encounter with F’bad cops in Fatehabad

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1 day ago

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December 21, 2024

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2 ‘Kala Jatheri gang members’ killed in encounter with F’bad cops in Fatehabad

According to the police, the encounter took place after at least four suspects tried to help their close aide escape from police custody
The Faridabad police gunned down two members of the Kala Jatheri gang in an encounter near Fatehabad on Friday, officers said. A constable was injured in the gunfight, they added.

According to the police, the encounter took place after at least four suspects tried to help their close aide escape from police custody.

The identity of one of the deceased was not known, while the other was identified as Ravi (single name), who had 28 cases lodged against him in multiple districts.

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Aman Yadav, assistant commissioner of Police (ACP), Faridabad said the incident occurred when the police van stopped near a roadside eatery on the outskirts of Fatehabad while transporting Ravi back to Faridabad jail after a court appearance in an Arms Act case.

“Four armed individuals attacked the police team, firing multiple rounds to facilitate Ravi’s escape. In retaliation, police returned fire, killing Ravi and another suspect on the spot,” Yadav said.

Constable Sarjeet Yadav suffered a gunshot wound to his left forearm. He was rushed to a civic hospital, where his condition is reported to be stable, said police.

Yadav said that Ravi, who had been lodged in Faridabad jail since April 24, 2023, was being transported after attending an appeal hearing at the Fatehabad court. The ambush, allegedly orchestrated by Ravi’s associates, was intended to secure his release from custody. The police’s swift response thwarted the plan.

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Ravi had a long history of violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder, dacoity, robbery, and Arms Act violations. His activities spanned multiple districts, such as Sonipat, Jind, Rohtak, Faridabad, and Delhi. He was a key member of the Kala Jathedi gang, led by the notorious gangster Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi, who is currently in Tihar Jail.

Kala Jathedi himself is implicated in over a dozen cases across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. In 2020, he famously escaped from Haryana Police custody during a similar ambush orchestrated by his gang.

ACP Yadav confirmed that police teams are actively investigating to identify the remaining attackers involved in the ambush. “We are working to uncover the identities of the other suspects who participated in the operation. Stringent action will be taken against all involved,” Yadav said.

This encounter is part of an ongoing crackdown on organized crime, with authorities aiming to dismantle gangs operating in the region.

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