6 killed in violence during Dalit agitation in MP

Six people were killed and several others injured today in Madhya Pradesh, which was hit by widespread violence during the "Bharat bandh" called by Dalit outfits to protest against a recent Supreme Court order on the SC/ST Act, officials said.

The deceased included four Dalits and two upper-caste Hindus, they added.

Curfew was imposed in some areas of Gwalior city as well as in cities of Bhind and Morena districts in view of the violence witnessed during the bandh, organised to protest against the Supreme Court order of March 20, which diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Internet services have been suspended in the entire Chambal and Gwalior regions, besides the Sagar region which also saw protests, the police said.

The bandh supporters damaged a railway track, disrupting rail traffic in Morena, the main Station Master, B K Sharma, said.

Inspector General (law and order) of Police Makrand Deoskar told PTI that the casualties occurred during fights between the supporters of the bandh and those opposed to it and not due to police firing.

A sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and a police official were also injured in the protests in the Gwalior-Chambal division, he added.

Trouble started at around 10.30 am when the protesters, carrying sticks, spilled onto the streets in the Malanpur area of Bhind district and indulged in violence, including breaking window panes of buses, the police said.

The violence then spread to the other parts of the district.

Mahavir Ragawat (40), a Thakur by caste, died during the violence in the Machand area, some 40 km from the Bhind district headquarters, the police said.

Akash Jatav, a Dalit, died of gunshots in a clash between two groups in Mehgaon tehsil, 17 km from the Bhind district headquarters, they added.

In Gwalior's Thatipura police station area, two Dalits -- Rakesh Jatav and Deepak Jatav -- were killed in a gunfight between two groups, according to the police.

Vimal Bodh, a Dalit, died of gunshot wounds in Gwalior's Dabra area, the police said.

Rahul Pathak, a Brahmin, was killed in firing at the station area in Morena at around noon.

Violence during the protests was also reported from other districts of the state, including Jhabua.

In Bhind, the Rapid Action Force (RAF), the specialised anti-riot force, was pressed into service to control the situation, the IG said.

Earlier, Bhind Superintendent of Police (SP) Prashant Khare had said the Army was called out, but the IG clarified that it was the RAF which had been pressed into service.

Reports of violence between the supporters of the bandh and those opposing it were received from Balaghat, Sagar and Datia districts, where prohibitory orders under section 144, CrPC were enforced, the IG said.

Gwalior Commissioner B M Sharma said, "Curfew has been imposed in several parts of Gwalior city, following violence during the protests."