Police arrest 24 for violence

Police have lodged over a dozen cases of rioting and arrested 24 people on Tuesday night after a clash between Dalits and the police in Saharanpur.

The district administration is also making efforts to maintain harmony among the members of various communities, especially Dalits and Thakurs, who are at loggerheads since violence erupted in Shabbirpur village on May 5.

Saharanpur DM NP Singh has convened a meeting of Dalit and Thakur leaders of all political parties on Wednesday evening to discuss the issue and revive harmony between the two communities.

Singh hoped the meeting of leaders would help in reviving their trust for each other.

He said 24 rioters had been arrested and raids were on to nab the perpetrators of violence.

Saharanpur SSP Subhash Chand Dubey said more than a dozen cases had been registered against rioters and the number could be higher as individual victims were also approaching the police to lodge cases.

Meanwhile, the state government has appointed Prabal Pratap Singh and Vidyasagar Misra as the new SP (city) and SP (rural), respectively.

At least half-a-dozen policemen and an additional district magistrate were injured when they were allegedly attacked by Dalits after security forces scuttled a mahapanchyat called to protest the lack of action against Thakurs involved in last week’s clashes in Shabbirpur village.