Non-Dalit Criminals Sparked Bharat Bandh Violence: UP Police

UP Police said that non-dalit criminals “mixed with protesters” and engaged in violence during the Bharat Bandh.

A bike set on fire by a group of protesters during Bharat Bandh call given by Dalit organisations against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act, in Meerut on 2 April 2018.

(Photo: PTI)

The UP Police said on Tuesday, 3 March, based on a preliminary inquiry, that non-dalit criminal elements “mixed in with protesters” took part in committing arson and carrying out violence in UP’s Muzaffarnagar, where one person was killed during the Bharat bandh on 2 April.

The police identified these elements with the help of videos, adding that efforts were on to arrest them, The Indian Express reported.

We do not rule out the possibility of a conspiracy behind violence across the state yesterday. In Muzaffarnagar, we have evidence to prove that anti-social elements with criminal cases against them got mixed with protesters and indulged in violence. They (these elements) did not belong to SC or ST communities.

Anand Kumar, ADGP, Law and Order, Uttar Pradesh

“We are scanning video footage of the incident to identify those involved,” he added to The Indian Express.

Police claimed to have substantial evidence against former BSP MLA Yogesh Verma, on Tuesday 3 April, a day after Verma was arrested for allegedly inciting violence in Meerut. However, his wife, Sunita Verma, the mayor of Meerut, has continued to maintain that her husband is innocent. She has also accused the BJP government of being behind his arrest.

Following violent clashes in many parts of UP and across the country, internet services had been suspended in many areas, including UP’s Agra and Muzaffarnagar. Internet services in Agra and Muzaffarnagar were restored a day later, on 3 April.

Police said that 550 more people had been arrested from parts of UP’s Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Agra, Hapur, and Azamgarh for their alleged participation in the violence. The police added that at least 125 FIRs had been registered in the affected areas.

About the former BSP leader’s arrest, ADGP Kumar said:

The police are taking action against him based on evidence. Verma was arrested from the spot while he was trying to incite violence. The police will invoke the National Security Act against those arrested in these cases.

Indian Express added that Mayor Sunita Verma, District Magistrate for Meerut Anil Dhingra, and SSP Manzil Saini had called Verma on 2 April and asked him to pacify the protesters. She added that Verma had done his best to pacify the protesters.

She added that he was arrested a few hours later, when he’d returned home.

(With inputs from The Indian Express)