Violent protests in Gzb, AIIMS bus targeted, school shut tomorrow

The Ghaziabad district today witnessed a violent protest by Dalit groups, who squatted on railway track, targeted an AIIMS bus and clashed with the police, forcing the administration to deploy extra forces and announce the closure of schools for tomorrow.

The Dalit groups were protesting against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act through a Supreme Court order last month.

An office-bearer of SC/ST Advocates Welfare Association, lawyer Omvir Singh Morta said the Dalit organisations took out a protest march from the Ambedkar Park, Navyug Market, to the collectorate.

A memorandum against the Supreme Court's order addressed to the President was handed over to district magistrate Ritu Maheswari, he said.

Police said an FIR has been lodged in 12 police stations of Ghaziabad against 1,100 people, among them 100 have been named and 30 have been detained.

The protesters squatted on railway tracks which hit the traffic on Delhi-Meerut route. And when the police tried to persuade them in to clearing the track, they attacked their vehicle, officials said.

The police used batons to disperse the mob, Senior Superintendent Vaibhav Krishna said. "All school of the district, except those where examinations are going on, will remain close tomorrow," he said.

Police personnel have been deployed in Loni, Masuri, Modinagar in the city to avoid any untoward incidents, he said.

An AIIMS bus, carrying 24 doctors including senior residents, faculty and junior residents, was pelted with stones on NH-24 near Shivpuri. None of the occupants were injured in the attack, those on board the bus said.

The doctors were returning to Delhi after their duty at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS in Ghaziabad.

"A crowd blocked the road and we hurriedly vacated the bus and rushed to a safe place after which they pelted the bus with stones. They were targeting government buses. Our bus had AIIMS logo on it," one of the doctors said.