Bharat Bandh on April 10: Section 144 imposed in Nainital, ban on processions

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NAINITAL: Following Bhopal and Jaipur, Section 144 has been imposed in Uttarakhand's Nainital on Monday in the light of calls for another Bharat Bandh by some groups on April 10. The district administration has put a complete ban on processions and 'dharna'. Strict action will be taken against lawbreakers, added the district administration.

Section 144 has also been imposed in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal and Rajasthan's Jaipur. The security arrangements have also been tightened in Rajasthan's Alwar and police are carrying out patrols in several areas.

As many as 6000 police forces will be deployed in Bhopal. The schools will, however, remain open. Bhopal commissioner said that the police department will keep a tab on social media and strict action will be taken against rumour-mongers.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an advisory to all states to take necessary precautionary measures in the view of Bandh.

The development comes after several posts and messages were circulated on social media and WhatsApp groups about another Bharat Bandh on April 10. Some groups called for Bharat Bandh protesting against reservation system while some other groups will be protesting against the violence that erupted during the Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups on April 2.

On April 2, several Dalit groups had enforced a Bharat Bandh in many states to protest against the Supreme Court order on the Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Violence erupted in many parts of the country as Dalit protesters blocked trains, clashed with police and set fire to vehicles during a nationwide bandh against the Supreme Court order on SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On March 20, the Supreme Court had diluted the provisions of the Act and had said that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law.