Ugly scenes witnessed during "Bharat Bandh' called by Dalit groups against the Supreme Court order
Several areas in Ghaziabad, Gautam Budhh Nagar and its nearby places witnessed ugly scenes when protesters turned violent amid the 'bharat bandh' call given by the Dalit organisations against the Supreme Court's verdict on dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on Monday.
The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act.
According to the police, the protesters vandalised several buses, private vehicles and motocycles were set ablaze. Even police vehicles were not spared. Trains were halted, stones pelted and roads were blocked throughout the day. Incidents of clashes with police personnel were also reported from various areas.
According to reports, in Ghaziabad district, protesters put several vehicles on fire including a police patrolling motorcycle in the Gaushala area. Schools, colleges and industrial training institutes will remain shut on Tuesday, the district magistrate announced. However, final examinations will be conducted as per schedule.
An official of the Northern Railway said that a mob of around 2,000 arrived at the Ghaziabad yard around 10 am on Monday and disrupted the trains due to which several trains were brought to a halt.
Scenes got more violent in Vijaynagar and Loni areas of Ghaziabad where the protesters started pelting stones on the police party and in retaliation police had to open fire in the air to scare the protesters.
"Many people are reported to be injured in the district. We have registered FIRs against 1,000 unnamed and 100 named people under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code. Thirty people have been arrested so far," said a senior police officer in Ghaziabad.
An irate mob of Dalit protesters pelted stone on a bus carrying doctors and nurses of AIIMS, near UP-Ghaziabad border when the doctors were going for their duty. However, all the 25 occupant doctors of the bus were safe but the bus was damaged by the protesters.
In Gautam Buddh Nagar district, violence was reported from various parts. The protesters blocked the Surajpur-Dadri main road and vandalised a few buses. A road march was also carried out at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida where the protesters burnt an effigy of Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and chanted slogans against him. Similar protests was reported from Jewar, Jagangirpur and Jarchha area of the district as well.
"We have booked around 625 people for creating a ruckus. 14 people have been arrested and sent to jail. The law and order are under control and heavy police are deployed in the district," said a senior police officer in Gautam Budh Nagar.
Meanwhile, a much-intensified protest was witnessed in Hapur, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar districts in which the mob set ablaze Shobhapur police post and vandalized a police van and motorcycle. The mob also fired gunshots at the police in which a civilian sustained bullet injury and was admitted to hospital in critical condition.
Heavy police force accompanied by army forces was deployed in the region in order to bring the situation under control, however, even they failed to control the anger. The superintendent of police of both the districts issued an advisory to the public to help them in maintaining law and order in the district and not get influenced by any rumours.
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