More than 1,000 booked in Noida, Gzb, 14 FIRS filed

GHAZIABAD/NOIDA: The ‘ Bharat Bandh’ called by Dalit organisations turned violent in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar districts on Monday with thousands of protesters blocking major roads and damaging vehicles.

As a precautionary measure, after large-scale violence in western UP, the Ghaziabad administration decided to order closure of private and government schools and colleges on Tuesday.

The authorities lodged 14 FIRS against protesters, including 12 at various police stations in Ghaziabad.

“Only i nstitutions where examinations are on will remain open. No routine classes will be allowed on Tuesday at schools and degree colleges. We will review the closure again on Tuesday,” Ramesh Ranjan, officiating district magistrate, Ghaziabad, said.

Educational institutions, however, will remain open in Gautam Budh Nagar district.

Most protesters blocked roads in the two districts, triggering long traffic jams. In Ghaziabad, the protesters torched a police patrol bike near Gaushala Crossing, pelted stones at three buses at the Loni Border and damaged a UP Roadways bus at Vijay Nagar, NH-24.

“32 arrests have been made so far. Nearly 100 people were named in 12 FIRS. 1,000 others are unidentified. Modi Nagar, Vijay Nagar and district headquarters were the prime hot spots where protesters arrived in large numbers. Nearly 8000-9000 people blocked the Delhi-meerut road at Modi Nagar,” said Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

The FIRS were lodged at the Kavi Nagar, Indirapuram, Khoda, Modi Nagar, Loni Border, Vijay Nagar and other police sta- NEWDELHI: About 20 doctors of Delhi’s All-india Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had a narrow escape when a bus ferrying them from hospitals’ de-addiction centre in Ghaziabad to main campus was attacked by protesters at the border.

Doctors were returning from duty at the centre around 2pm.

“Around 2.30pm, we had to stop the bus at the Ghaziabad border because the UP roadways bus in front of us was attacked by a huge mob with stones and bricks,” said one resident doctor who was in the bus, requesting anonymity.

tions in Ghaziabad. The protesters were booked for rioting, preventing public servants from discharging duties, creating road blocks and provisions of 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

In Gautam Budh Nagar, violence was reported in Dadri after a few youths threw stones on two buses.

“Representatives from various groups met the sub-divisional magistrate and submitted their memorandum. When they were leaving, a few youths attacked the vehicles. No one was hurt,” said Nishank Sharma, circle officer, Dadri.

At least 14 youths had been arrested in the matter and will be produced in court on Tuesday.

Traffic disruption was also reported from Surajpur, Greater Noida, said police.