April 2 violence during Dalit protests against SC ruling: 41 sent up for trial

A total of 41 persons, including some local BSP leaders, were sent up today for trial for their alleged roles in the wide-spread violence here during the April 2 Bharat Bandh by Dalits against a Supreme Court ruling, "diluting" some stringent provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Those sent up for the trial by the district sessions court included former chief Kamal Gautam of Bahujan Samaj Party's district unit and Bhim Army's district in-charge Ukar Bavra, said a district prosecution official.

The case was sent up for trial by Chief Judicial Magistrate Shailendra Singh, who also directed the accused to appear before the sessions court on August 16.

According to the prosecution 14 of the 41 accused persons in the case have been granted bail, while 27 others are still in jail.

Dalit groups had called for a Bharat Bandh on April 2 in protest against a recent Supreme Court order which they claimed had diluted the SC/ST Act (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Protesters had turned violent at several places, which resulted in death of at least 11 people and destruction of property across the country.