Hundreds of Bhim Army workers converged at the office of Saharanpur district magistrate on Tuesday afternoon as part of their ‘jail bharo’ agitation. They were demanding withdrawal of cases against villagers who staged a protest last week.
The organisation had warned of a stir after an FIR was registered against 700 unknown people for violence that broke out after a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was damaged in Ghunna village a few days ago.
On Tuesday, police made elaborate arrangements to maintain law and order during the movement of workers. SSP Dinesh Kumar directed SHOs of all police stations to keep a close watch on protestors in their respective areas.
Hundreds of Bhim Army workers and leaders from Ghunna and Nazirpura village, led by the organisation’s district in-charge Praveen Kumar Gautam, arrived at the Collectorate.
As many as 176 people, including 37 women, courted arrest and they were taken to the temporary jail at the Police Lines and later released after filling personal bonds, said SP (city) Vineet Bhatnagar.
The police had named 104 villagers and 700 unknown people in a case registered after a clash with villagers in Ghunna village last week where miscreants damaged Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue. Thousands of dalits came out the on the streets in protest of the incident and a mob allegedly damaged vehicles, after which police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the violent mob.
{{/usCountry}}The police had named 104 villagers and 700 unknown people in a case registered after a clash with villagers in Ghunna village last week where miscreants damaged Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue. Thousands of dalits came out the on the streets in protest of the incident and a mob allegedly damaged vehicles, after which police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the violent mob.
{{/usCountry}}Bhim Army officials declared a ‘jail bharo’ movement, if the cases were not withdrawn.
The district administration deployed four companies PAC at different locations in the district in wake of Bhim Army workers’ movement and the entire district was kept on high alert to avoid any clash or untoward incident. SP (city) claimed that: “Everything went off peacefully.”
Gautam, however, declared that the movement would spread across the country, if their demands were not accepted.