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http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/so...mobs-burn-homes-in-fresh-india-caste-violence
Curfew imposed after mobs burn homes in fresh India caste violence
Police try to stop people belonging to the Dalit community as they take part in a protest during a nationwide strike called by Dalit organisations in India on April 2, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS
Published
7 hours ago
NEW DELHI (AFP) - Hundreds of Indian security forces enforced a curfew on a tense district on Wednesday (April 4) after a mob set fire to the homes of two political figures from the country's low-caste Dalit community.
Amid heightened communal tensions over caste rights, some 5,000 people angered by earlier Dalit protests torched the houses on Tuesday of a state legislator and former lawmaker in the Karauli district of the popular tourist state of Rajasthan.
Neither was at home at the time, the district's top administrative official told AFP.
"We have made some arrests following the arson and violence. A curfew is in place and we have also deployed 600-700 extra security personnel," said Mr Abhimanyu Kumar.
The incident followed violent nationwide protests by tens of thousands of Dalits on Monday which left at least nine dead.
Once dismissed as "untouchables", Dalits make up 200 million of India's 1.25 billion population and are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy.
Curfew imposed after mobs burn homes in fresh India caste violence
Police try to stop people belonging to the Dalit community as they take part in a protest during a nationwide strike called by Dalit organisations in India on April 2, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS
Published
7 hours ago
NEW DELHI (AFP) - Hundreds of Indian security forces enforced a curfew on a tense district on Wednesday (April 4) after a mob set fire to the homes of two political figures from the country's low-caste Dalit community.
Amid heightened communal tensions over caste rights, some 5,000 people angered by earlier Dalit protests torched the houses on Tuesday of a state legislator and former lawmaker in the Karauli district of the popular tourist state of Rajasthan.
Neither was at home at the time, the district's top administrative official told AFP.
"We have made some arrests following the arson and violence. A curfew is in place and we have also deployed 600-700 extra security personnel," said Mr Abhimanyu Kumar.
The incident followed violent nationwide protests by tens of thousands of Dalits on Monday which left at least nine dead.
Once dismissed as "untouchables", Dalits make up 200 million of India's 1.25 billion population and are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy.
