Outrage against Dalit atrocities in Gujarat continues

The public outrage over the recent flogging of Dalit youngsters by self-appointed cow vigilantes in Saurashtra region refused to die down, a day after the Gujarat bandh call, with reports of protests and violence from across the state kept on trickling in on Thursday too.

Amid torching of buses and stone-throwing, police had to lob teargas shells at several place and impose prohibitory orders against assembly of four or more persons.

A group of unidentified persons burnt three state transport buses in Mehsana district, about an hour's drive from state's capital Gandhinagar as well as commercial hub Ahmedabad. Blocking of buses on national highways, especially at Katariya village near Limbdi, connecting Saurashtra to central and south Gujarat, forced authorities to suspend services between Rajkot and Ahmedabad.

Tempers wore thin in the Saurashtra region with people coming out in hordes to protest against the July 11 atrocities in Una.

There were reports of skirmishes in Talala town in Gir Somnath district, Kutiyana in Porbandar and in Amreli district of Saurashtra region. Police had to fire teargas shells in Keshod town of Junagadh district to quell the protesting mob.

The district collector of Surendranagar announced imposition of prohibitory orders, ahead of rally by Dalits community on Friday to protest the Una incident.

Meanwhile, the Dholka town of Ahmedabad district saw a mob pelt stones at police, who fired teargas to disperse the crowd. The situation worsened as police allegedly entered houses of protestors, beat them and detained them.

As many as 50 men were detained in a police station, which was later put under siege by women, who used utensils and rolling pins to seek immediate release of the detainees. A couple of women protesters fainted during the protest.

In Surat, a group of protesters crowded the railway track at Udhna junction and disrupted train services before police dispersed them.

Besides Saurashtra, rallies by Dalit community were also held in Vadodara and Patan cities.

Earlier in the morning, 50 Bahujan Samaj Party workers were detained in Ahmedabad when they were trying to organize a protest rally condemning the BJP for making derogatory remarks on their supremo Mayawati.

--IANS

desai/vd