Seven dead as lower caste Hindus clash with police in India after supreme court order

Seven people have died amid violent protests, fighting street battles with police involving tens of thousands of protesters from lower caste Hindu community Dalit across India.

The most hit was the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The protesters have taken to the streets to protest against a Supreme Court order, as they say, the order weakens a law designed to protect lower caste Hindu communities, local police said.

A couple of days back a Dalit youth was killed in Gujrat for keeping a horse. 

Protesters clashed with security forces, attacked buses and government buildings, and blocked trains and major roads.

Six people have been killed in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, according to Rishi Kumar Shukla, director general of the state police. He insisted however that events had been brought “under control”.

Bans were imposed on large gatherings after protesters blocked railway tracks and set vehicles on fire. A curfew has been imposed in some parts of the state.

One person has also been killed in the northern state of Rajasthan, police said.

Rahul Prakash, superintendent of police in Alwar in Rajasthan, said, “two or three people had been hit by bullets during clashes in the city.” Police added that about 20 people had been injured.

Trouble was also reported in the capital New Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar states.

There were media reports of more deaths in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, but police could not immediately confirm.

The death in Uttar Pradesh was in Muzaffarnagar. "Some 30 police and about 30-35 protesters were also injured, one of them seriously," said Praveen Kumar, the state police deputy inspector general.

The “Bharat Bandh” (India shutdown) protest was called by groups representing the Dalits, who make up 200 million of India's 1.25 billion population and are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy.

They are angry at Supreme Court ruling that banned the automatic arrest of the accused in cases under a special law to protect marginalized groups who suffer widespread discrimination.

The 1989 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was intended to guard against the harassment of Dalits and other groups.

Dalit leaders say the ruling increases the likelihood of attacks.

“The government is appealing against the court order but it is a responsibility of everyone including all political parties to ensure peace,” Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh told journalists in Delhi, where the Dalit protests caused traffic chaos. He called for calm.

Dalits are among the most marginalized groups in India, where caste discrimination is outlawed but remains widespread.

Last week a young Dalit farmer in Gujrat was beaten to death for owning a horse, which is seen as a symbol of power and wealth.

Source: local & international media