Bharat bandh: Violent protests erupt across Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi Adityanath calls for peace

Hemant Kutiyal, Hapur superintendent of police (SP) said that hundreds of protestors came on the road near the Tehsil chauraha in the morning and early afternoon and caused damaged to public properties before setting ablaze at least two government buses. Police force and stations house officers (SHO) of six police stations have been deployed in the area, and now the situation is under control, the SP added.

In Muzaffarnagar, the protestors attacked the Nayi Mandi police station where the police reportedly had to resort to some firing in order to stop the protestors. The police, however, denied any reports of firing.

The Nayi Mandi police station SHO Kushal Pal Singh said, “There was a violent protest lodged in the police station. Later the protestors came outside the police stations and damaged the vehicles parked outside. They turned the vehicles upside down, broke the glasses and then set ablaze some of the vehicles. There was no firing as such, however, we had to use minor force in order to disperse the protestors.”

Meanwhile, the Agra Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amit Pathak said they are trying to stop the violent protests. The SSP, however, without providing the full detail, for now, added that there has been some property damage in the district.

In Varanasi, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers along with the (SP) took out the protest in the morning. The protest was taken out majorly at three places in the district – the district court, Lanka area and near the Kashi Vidya Peeth.

At Lanka, the protestors gathered in the number of around 200 at around 10 am and denouncing the dilution in the Act, forced the shopkeepers to close their shops. At the district court, hundreds of protestors claimed to have taken out a peaceful protest towards the Ambedkar Park. The police, however, used force to stop them and detained some of them at the civil lines. Some of the protestors claimed that the police used force against women and assaulted them. The Bhim Army and  Sardar Sena members joined the protest at the Ambedkar park.

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In Allahabad, the students of the Allahabad University blocked trains in the district on Monday. Members of BSP have reportedly stopped another train at the Meja station. Bhim Army is reported to protesting at the district civil lines. In Azamgarh, a bus was vandalized.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to the people to maintain the law and order situation. “The central and state governments are dedicated to the welfare of the backward castes and Dalits. I appeal to not disturb the law and order situation. If there is any issue you can bring them to the government notice,” the chief minister said.

The bandh has been organised in wake of the March 20 apex court ban on the automatic arrest and registration of criminal cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The court had said that public servant cannot be prosecuted without the approval of the appointing authority. A private citizen would also be arrested only after an inquiry.