The Haryana government on Monday imposed Section 144 in seven districts in the state anticipating violence after a court verdict that has stayed the the state’s decision to grant reservation to the Jat community, reported ANI. The Indian Penal Code section forbids assembly of five or more people in an area and prohibits people from carrying weapons while it is in effect.

Central Industrial Security Force personnel have also been deployed to guard the Munak canal which was attacked by rioters during the reservation protests that swept the state in February. The national capital gets its water from this canal, among other sources.

The Manohar Lal Khattar-led government was set to file an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the Jat reservation matter on Monday. However, no development regarding the petition has been reported so far. This comes a day after the Akhil Bharatiya Jat Aaraskhan Sangharsh Samiti announced that it will hold a peaceful rally, named Nyay Rally, on June 5 to protest against the state’s failure to uphold its promises. Samiti president Yashpal Malik said the government neither released those arrested during the agitation in February, nor did it compensate those who were killed or injured, as promised.

Fearing backlash against the high court, the state government had tightened security in seven sensitive districts — Jind, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Hisar, Sonepat, Jhajjar and Rohtak — and deployed central security forces as a precaution on Sunday. “The government is monitoring all developments in the state. This time, we will neither spare anyone, nor give time to anyone to act against the state,” said Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu, whose house was set on fire during the violent protests by members of the Jat community in February.