Nation View: At least nine people died and scores others were injured after the Bharat Bandh protests called by Dalit organisations against the Supreme Court’s ruling on SC/ST Atrocities Act turned violent in several parts of the country. The protesters rampaged through the towns across the country, arsoning, damaging public property, setting police vehicles on fire and pelting stones on security forces. Six people died in Madhya Pradesh while one each killed in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, according to reports. Uttar Pradesh DIG Law and Order said that 38 people were injured in the clashes and over 400 protesters were detained. Normal life was affected in Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha due to disruptions in rail and road traffic, forced closure of offices and vandalism of properties during the "Bharat Bandh". The nationwide bandh was called after the Supreme Court on March 20 laid new guidelines that protect public servants from immediate arrest after a complaint is filed against them under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
