Nearly seven people were killed Monday as 'Dalits,' one of the most marginalized communities in India took to streets to protest the top court's decision of barring the immediate arrest of people accused of discriminating against them, part of the 1989 Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Several protests led by 'Dalit' community erupted Monday in India leading to a nationwide 'bandh' or general strike, blocking roads and shutting stores, to fight Indian top court's latest decision, which previously had allowed authorities to arrest those accused of abusing members of the community immediately following the filing of a complaint.
The 1989 act, Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Prevention of Atrocities, was set in motion by India's Supreme court as part of reparations due to the community over suffering grave human rights violations for centuries with the aim of specifically addressing human rights violations against Dalit' community.