Bharat Bandh: One killed in Rajasthan, internet services suspended

The Rajasthan police on Monday said that one person has been killed in firing in Rajasthan's Alwar city due to the ongoing Bharat Bandh.

He also said that internet services have also been suspended in certain districts to maintain law and order situation.

Various Dalit organisations had called for a nationwide shutdown or a 'Bharat Bandh' to protest against the alleged dilution of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court.

"One person has been killed in the firing in Alwar city. There was stone pelting in several places that took place. Number of people has also been detained across all districts in the state," Director General of Police (DGP) O.P. Galhotra said while addressing a press conference here.

"Internet services were suspended and Section 144 has also been imposed in certain districts," Galhotra added.

Earlier in the day, the situation was equally bad in Rajasthan's Jaipur, Bharatpur and Barmer, where protesters stopped trains and vandalised shops among other violent approaches.

According to media reports, nearly 25-30 companies of additional forces were deployed across Rajasthan in view of the state-wide protests.

Trains and bus services were affected as they were halted at many places in the state.

Even as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has filed a review petition against the verdict, the burning of vehicles, rail roko agitations and various other blockades continue to be in place across various parts of the country.

Even as the Centre has filed a review petition in the top court, outrage over the review in the Act made by the Apex Court has engulfed numerous parts of the country, as various states, including Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, are witnessing border-line riots with protesters taking to destruction of private and public property to send their message of disapproval to legislature and judiciary.

The apex court had, on March 20, introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the act while directing that there would be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the law.