Dalit MLA’s house set on fire in Rajasthan

Mangalore Today News Network

Jaipur, Apr 03, 2018 : A day after violent protests by Dalit groups during the ’Bharat bandh’, non-Dalit groups targeted Dalit slums on Tuesday and ransacked the houses of MLA Rajkumari of the BJP and former Congress MLA Bharosi Lal Jatav in the Hindaun town of Karauli district.

 

 

According to the police, agitators set their houses on fire, forcing the administration to impose a curfew on Tuesday afternoon.

Protesters had gone on a rampage in Hindaun during the Bharat bandh against an alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act).

"Both houses were empty when they were set ablaze. A curfew has been imposed in Hindaun and efforts to bring peace in the area are on," Karauli District Collector Abhimanyu Kumar said.

Rajasthan Home Minister, while speaking to the media, said that according to the police, a day after the Dalit protests, people of other castes are protesting in some parts of the state.

According to the police, tension prevailed in Hindaun City, Churu and Gangapur City, where law-and-order situation remained "critical".
Despite the prohibitory orders, a large number of people, under the banner of traders’ union, took out a march to submit a memorandum to the district administration to demand action against people who vandalized shops on Monday.
However, the protest march began to force its way into the Dalit slums in the town.

"The police was compelled to crack down, after the traders’ association and upper castes agitated in Hindaun City", Additional Director General (law and order) NRK Reddy said.

"The agitators pelted stones at the police, burnt tyres in different parts of the town and tried to disturb the situation that had come under control after Monday’s violence," Reddy said.

The police said 35 people were arrested on Tuesday on charges of rioting and breach of peace.



courtesy: DHNS