8 years ago
New Delhi:
Nine people have been killed in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and UP as protests by Dalit groups against a Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act turned violent. In UP, as many as 448 people were arrested for allegedly being involved in vandalism, arson or on other charges while a high alert was sounded across the state's 75 districts. Protesters protested across north India and violence erupted as Dalit groups tried to enforce an all-India shutdown over the Supreme Court order. Protesters clashed with police in parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Punjab came to a virtual standstill as the government shut schools, strengthened security, and put the army on stand-by. The Dalit organisations have called for a bandh to protest the alleged dilution of the the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The top court recently banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the SC/ST Act. The Centre has appealed to Supreme Court to review the order.
