Bathinda, April 4: Two persons were injured in a clash between protesters and shopkeepers near Mehna Chowk during the Dalit agitation here on Monday morning.The trouble broke out when a group of protesters forced traders in Mata Rani Gali to shut their shops.
When the latter resisted, the protesters damaged a two-wheeler parked outside a shop. Following this, the two groups entered into a confrontation, leading to injuries to two persons.The two groups pelted each other with stones.
The injured were identified as Parveen Kumari and Rimple. The police have arrested a troublemaker who hit Parveen Kumari on the head with a rod. Another protester hit a rod on the hand of Rimple.
The police resorted to mild cane-charge to disperse the protesters at certain places in the city. Earlier, the protesters damaged a shop at the AC market and forced the traders to shut their establishments.
A group of protesters armed with lathis and swords passed through commercial areas, asking the traders to down their shutters to support the bandh call.They later converged outside the bus stand and damaged a vehicle.
SSP Singla said two cases had been registered against unidentified accused for the incidents at Mata Rani Gali and AC market. One of the accused has been arrested.
In Muktsar, scores of protesters took out a march that passed through key areas of the city before reaching the DC office where they handed over a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.
In Mansa, Dalit organisations took out a protest rally.A group of protesters blocked the railway tracks at Gidderbaha and Balluana stations in the morning for around an hour due to which trains were delayed by more than two hours. Later, the RPF managed to take control of the situation.
Source Tribune India
