The slogans were loud. Jai Bheem, the crowds roared, raising their sticks, and bringing life to a standstill in several parts of Rajasthan today.
Trouble started soon after 9am when hundreds of people, mostly men, came out to the streets in the state to join a Bharat bandh called by Dalit organisations protesting against a recent Supreme Court decision to amend the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The demonstrators -- many carrying blue flags -- marched across towns and cities, blocking traffic, vandalising shops and torching vehicles.
In some areas, rail services were disrupted. The agitators squatted on rail tracks in Alwar and climbed on to a train near Jaipur, media reports said.
The police said a 28-year-old man was killed when a mob attacked a police station and fired at security forces in the Khairthal area of Alwar.
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The streets were the arena for clashes, as police battled with frenzied mobs at several spots.
The agitators wreaked havoc in markets, throwing stones and vandalising shops, prompting shopkeepers to down their shutters. Markets remained closed in many parts of the state.
Tension was thick in Barmer where a mob torched several vehicles. Two groups of people hurled stones at each other after clashes broke out.
In Sikar, two vehicles were burned down, at least six bikes were damaged and several public properties vandalised, after which Section 144 was imposed on the area.
There was trouble in Jodhpur, too, when clashes broke out between two groups, leaving at least 24 people injured.
The police said they had to lob tear gas shells at the mobs and cane charge them to quell the violence.
Metro movement in Jaipur was disrupted for several hours.
I was surprised that the protestors did not even spare the Metro train," said Akash Swami, a trader.
The services were apparently cancelled because of security reasons.
It was only late in the evening that the situation was brought under control.
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