Bharat bandh against SC/ST ruling evoked mixed response

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Bharat bandh call against the SC/ST ruling on the Prevention of Atrocities by the Supreme Court evoked mixed response in Uttarakhand on Monday.

According to reports, two buses of Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation were set ablaze by the angry mob in Meerut and Modinagar. As a result the Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation was forced to stop the service on Delhi route.

Haridwar SSP Krishana Kuma tried to calm the protestors engaged in stone pelting. “We held talks with the people who started a sit-in. There was minor scuffle between the police and the protestors. But the issue was resolved.

In Roorkee the protestors went on a rampage and raised slogans against the government. They threw stones at the police men, after which the police resorted to light lathicharge. Several protestors, police men and journalists bore the brunt of stone pelting. At several places the Haridwar-New Delhi highway was blocked as the villagers gathered in large number and staged a sit-in.

In the state capital Dehradun the members of Dalit Samaj undertook a march and at several places tried to forcefully shut the shops. In view of the tense situation in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, ADG law and order Ashok Kumar urged the public not to pay heed to the rumour mongerers and urged them to remain calm. “As a precautionary measure, police remained on a high alert throughout the day. We are also monitoring the situation in other parts of the state.

In Rishikesh, police men were deployed at 17 sensitive areas and will continue to do so throughout the night. According to reports similar protests were held in Srinagar and other parts of Garhwal by shilpkar sangh.

In Bhadarabad, the angry mob pelted stones at a Volvo bus. Around 15 buses were damaged in stone pelting. In Haridwar’s Bhardabad town the protestors turned violent after which the police engaged in light lathicharge on them. The members belonging to Sainik Samta Dal and Bhim army sat on a dharna at BHEL crossing blocking the highway.