What Did the Supreme Court Say?
On 20 March, the apex court issued a slew of guidelines that would protect public servants and private individuals from arbitrary and immediate arrest under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
According to the court’s directive, coercive action against public servants, accused of hostility towards the lower caste, can only be taken with written permission from their appointing authority. For private citizens accused of a similar crime, arrest can be made only after the Senior Superintendent of Police concerned allows it.
(With ANI inputs)
Bharat Bandh Cost Railways Rs 1.98 Crore in Ferozpur: Report
The Dalit agitation during Monday’s Bharat Bandh cost Ferozepur division of the railways in Punjab Rs 1.98 crore in refunds to passengers, The Indian Express said.
Other details on losses are being worked on and is likely to run in crores, sources told the daily.
Curfew Imposed in Parts of Madhya Pradesh
Curfew to remain imposed on Wednesday, 4 April, in various areas of Gwalior, Bhind and Morena, to be relaxed only between 10 am and 12 noon, ANI reported.
So far, 50 people have been arrested in Morena for pelting stones.
Internet services in Bhind and Morena remain suspended. Meanwhile, in Gwalior, police said the situation is returning to normal.
Muzzaffarnagar: Police Accused of Killing a Man During Protests
Family of a man, who was shot dead on 2 April during the Bharat Bandh protests, has accused the police of killing him. The locals held a protest by keeping his body on the road in Bhopa & demanded compensation.
However, Sharad Sachan, DIG Saharanpur, said in a statement to ANI, “Postmortem report of the man revealed that he was shot by a bullet of 32 Bore or a small weapon. This bullet wasn't fired by police.”
5,000 Booked, 32 Arrested for Rioting in Ghaziabad
As many as 5,000 people have been booked for creating ruckus and damaging public and government properties in Ghaziabad during protests against dilution of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the SSP said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said police have lodged reports against 5,000 unidentified and 285 named miscreants under various sections the IPC.
Till now 32 agitators have been arrested and raids are being conducted to arrest others.
Furthermore, police have identified 43 places in urban and 17 places in rural areas of the district as highly sensitive where agitators may disturb peace again. Heavy police forces have been deployed on these points, the SSP said.
Nine policemen who were injured during the agitations are still undergoing treatment, Krishna said.