Police in riot gear has been deployed in some pockets of Mumbai
Mumbai/Pune: More than 100 people were detained in Mumbai today as Dalit protesters blocked major Mumbai roads, disrupted local train services at rush hour and forced shops to close over the caste clashes yesterday near Pune, in which a man was killed. Riot police had to be called in today as the protesters threw stones and damaged a bus. One protester tried to set himself on fire and was saved just on time, the police said. Dalit groups have called for a Mumbai bandh tomorrow.
Here are the top 10 updates in this big story:
- The police said they have made elaborate arrangements in view of the call for shutdown. Extra forces have been requisitioned and if needed, prohibitory orders banning large gatherings can be imposed, an officer said. Sources said some areas have also been identified where internet could be suspended to control rumours on social media.
- Traffic came to a standstill this morning at the Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai and re-opened post-noon. The Central Railway suspended suburban services between Kurla and Vashi on its harbor corridor and is running special services between CSMT-Kurla and Vashi-Panvel section.
- An NDTV journalist was attacked as groups of Dalit youth from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi joined the protest, the police said. The police have detained about a 100 people and have deployed heavy security in Mumbai's eastern suburbs, but denied reports of prohibitory orders banning large gatherings.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed for peace, warning against the spread rumours on social media. He has also ordered an inquiry by a sitting High Court judge into Monday's violence.
- Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has attacked the BJP, in power both in Maharashtra and at the Centre, and its ideological mentor RSS, tweeting: "A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance."
- Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, has called for a bandh or shutdown of Mumbai tomorrow. Mr Ambedkar who leads a Dalit group, said 250 such groups are supporting the bandh call. He has blamed some local right-wing leaders for Monday's violence.
- On Monday afternoon, a group of Dalits were on their way to Bhima-Koregaon village near Pune to celebrate 200 years of the battle fought there in 1818, when they were attacked and their vehicles were damaged.
- The police said the violence began after an argument between the Dalits and some other people and soon spun out of control. A man had died in the violence.
- Dalits celebrate January 1 as "victory day," marking the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which British troops made up of Dalits defeated upper-caste Peshwa soldiers.
- Some right-wing groups in Pune had opposed the event, asking why a British victory was being celebrated.
