Bharat Bandh: 1 killed in Rajasthan's Alwar; Section 144 imposed, internet services suspended

One person was killed and many injured as the protests went violent in Rajasthan’s Alwar due to ongoing Bharat Bandh on Monday.

After violent protests, the Alwar administration has imposed Section 144 in the area. The Indian Army had to be called in to control the situation.

Rajan Vishal, Alwar’s Collector has announced the suspension of the internet services in the area. The ban came into effect from 2:30 pm and would stay in force till 8 pm.

Many areas in Alwar saw stone-pelting by agitating mob. Many trains were stopped and railway tracks were damaged by the protesters. 

Vehicles were set ablaze in areas under Khairthal and NB Police Station.  

The local police had to resort to firing to control the mob. A 28-year-old man was killed in police firing in Khairthal. Another 30-year-old man was referred to Jaipur hospital after he got injured in the police action. 

Around eight vehicles including three of police and 15 bikes were set on fire in the district by the protesters.  

Punjab, Haryana worst-hit  

Protest marches were taken out by the Dalits in Jalandhar, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Ropar, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Phagwara in Punjab, and at Panchkula, Ambala, Kaithal, Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Faridabad and Gurugram in Haryana as well as in Chandigarh.

Markets wore a deserted look as shops and other commercial establishments remained closed and the vehicles remained off the road.

The Indo-Pakistan bus service, 'Sada-e-Sarhad', running between Delhi and Lahore was also disrupted. The Lahore-bound bus was halted at Sirhind and the Delhi-bound bus at Amritsar, police said, adding these buses will proceed to their destinations later in the afternoon.

The protesters squatted on the railway tracks at a few places in Punjab and Haryana, paralysing the rail traffic, railway officials of the Ambala and Ferozepur rail division said.

At Kaithal in Haryana, the protesters reportedly resorted to stone pelting and damaged a railway engine, police said.

Kaithal police had to restort to lathicharge and lob tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, they said, adding around 10 policemen were injured in the incident.