Dalit protests: 5,000 booked, 32 arrested for rioting in Ghaziabad

Police also identified 43 places in urban and 17 places in rural areas of the district as highly sensitive where agitators may disturb peace again. Heavy police forces have been deployed at these points.

As many as 5,000 people have been booked for creating ruckus and damaging public and government properties in Ghaziabad during protests against the alleged dilution of the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the SSP said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said police have lodged reports against 5,000 unidentified and 285 named miscreants under various sections the IPC.

Till now 32 agitators have been arrested and raids are being conducted to arrest others.

Furthermore, police have identified 43 places in urban and 17 places in rural areas of the district as highly sensitive where agitators may disturb peace again. Heavy police forces have been deployed on these points, the SSP said.

Nine policemen who were injured during Monday’s agitations are still undergoing treatment, Krishna said.

The Supreme Court had on March 20 banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST) (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Ruling that no arrest can be made under the Act without prior permission, the apex court had also held that a court can grant anticipatory bail if it, prima facie, finds the complaint is an abuse of the law, false, motivated and intended to blackmail or harass a person.

The ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by various Dalit groups, and backed by political outfits, demanded restoration of the Act to its original form.