After running street battles between riot police and rock-throwing protesters, state authorities placed parts of Ahmedabad and other cities in Gujarat under curfew.
India deployed thousands of security forces on Wednesday after clashes between police and affirmative-action protesters from a caste group traditionally known as diamond traders and merchants turned violent, leaving four dead.
In a somber statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for calm in a nationally televised speech after activists in the western state of Gujarat clashed with police and set fire to buses. “Every problem is solved by dialogue,” Mr. Modi said. Details