Mobile internet services have been blocked in the Northern Indian district of Saharanpur. This comes after dozens of people were arrested after caste violence earlier this year killing one person.
On Tuesday, the unrest began when the Dalit community, formerly known as the untouchables, pelted stones at the houses of the upper caste Rajput Hindus in Saharanpur region of Uttar Pradesh.
The Rajputs in retaliation for the stone pelting attacked the Dalits while they were returning from a political rally.
After the second attack, a Dalit man sustained a gunshot wound and died with 16 more wounded. During the same attack, a Rajput man was shot and seriously injured. The police are yet to clarify if it was caste issues that provoked the attack.
On Thursday, senior police officer, Bablu Kumar reported that 24 people were arrested in connection to the two attacks.
Kumar also said, “We ordered the service providers late Wednesday to suspend internet services as outsiders were instigating locals with Whatsapp and Facebook posts. Now the situation is absolutely calm.”
Since April, the district has witnessed multiple clashed between the Dalits and the Rajputs. Uttar Pradesh is the most populated State in the country and is known for religious and caste violence.
