The demonstrations of the Dalit organisations against the decision of the Supreme Court on the SC/ST Act on Monday turned violent in some parts of the western UP, including Agra, Hapur and Meerut, where a police chowki was set afire.
Reports of arson and stone-pelting are also reaching from other areas as well.
In Meerut, Shobhapur police chowki was set on fire by the Dalit protesters who also resorted to stone-pelting. The police had to resort to lathi charge and fire shots in the air to disperse the mob.
Meerut SSP Manjil Saini, along with other senior police officers, visited the violence spot and gave instructions to control the situation.
Former BSP MLA Yogesh Verma, who is the husband of Mayor Sunita Verma, is leant to have been arrested along with his supporters allegedly for his role in the violence.
In a statement, ADG Prashant Kumar said the police were trying to control the situation and RAF is being deployed. He said some policemen sustained injuries in the violence.
Though the police did not confirm Varma’s arrest, sources said he was picked up along with his supporters from Kankerkhera area. The violence had started from Kankerkhera. According to the sources, Verma was seen provoking the protesters for violence at many places in the city.
National Highway 58 has been completely taken over the demonstrators of Dalit organizations, resulting in traffic jam on this Delhi-Dehradun highway. Thousands of demonstrators assembled at the Partapur Bypass, carrying a memorandum of their demands.
The violence, however, started when Shobhapur police chowki was set on fire by the demonstrators. As the police retaliated, angry protesters set a bus, a police jeep, some private vehicles on fire. Violent scenes were witnessed near the district courts premises as well. Some of the mediapersons were also injured in the violence and cameras of some photographers were damaged by the protesters.
Violence also hit neighbouring Hapur district where again the kotwali was set ablaze. A Circle Officer and a cop were reportedly attacked by the protesters and the police had to resort to lathi charge and fire in the air to control the situation.
Hapur people support of #BharatBandh against the dilution of SC/ST Act by the Modi Govt. #SCSTAct pic.twitter.com/yv74bekW6w
— Bahujan4India (@Bahujan4India) April 2, 2018
Arson and violence have also been reported from Agra. According to top officials, two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been sent to Meerut and one to Hapur.
Demonstrations are also ongoing in Bijnore, Saharanpur, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad etc. Protesters resorted to arson at some places in Muzaffarnagar. Protesters also pelted the Nai Mandi Kotwali with stones, leading to firing and lathi charge by the police. Violence was continuing till the filing of this report.