Day after Bharat Bandh cripples north India, SC agrees to open court on Centre's review petition of SC/ST

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed for an open court hearing on the Centre's review petition over judgment, saying that the hearing will take place. The move comes a day after the apex court said that the hearing of the review petition wasn't urgent.

As per SC rules, a review petition is decided by judges after it's circulated among those who give the order under review.

Dalit organizations and some political parties said they feared the court's move would spike violence against Dalits. Protesters carried banners demanding a nationwide shutdown, saying the judgment was diluting the law.

Earlier, 10 people were killed - seven in Madhya Pradesh as Dalits groups carried out massive violent protests across northern states against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.

They went on the rampage to enforce a "Bharat Bandh" and burnt vehicles and police pickets and blocked road and rail traffic across Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand. More than 100 trains were affected across states. Hundreds of protesters were rounded up by the police.

Seven people were killed in Madhya Pradesh — three in Gwalior, two in Bhind and two in Morena — during clashes between police and protesters. Two lives were lost in UP — one in Muzaffarnagar and another in Meerut. One person was killed in Rajasthan's Alwar as police opened fire to disperse a rampaging mob.

Curfew was imposed in many parts of Madhya Pradesh and Internet services were withdrawn. Central forces were rushed to MP, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. The Army was called in and prohibitory orders banning large gatherings were imposed at some places.

About 40 persons, including over a dozen cops, were injured in violent clashes in UP, particularly in western pockets like Meerut and Agra.

Two police outposts, 100 buses, private vehicles, and two-wheelers were torched and government offices attacked. About 450 people were arrested.

"The violence looked pre-planned," said Arvind Kumar, UP's Principal Secretary Home.

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