The Allahabad High Court today reserved its judgement on a writ petition challenging a Saharanpur district magistrate order by which Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Ravan was detained under the stringent National Security Act. Chandrashekhar was held for allegedly inciting violence and disturbing public peace and order in connection with a Thakur-Dalit clash in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur. After hearing the petition filed by Chandrashekhar, a division bench comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice DK Singh reserved the judgement.
A group of people was going to take part in an event to mark the Maharana Pratap Jayanti at Saharanpur on May 5, 2017. Violence broke out when another groupd of people from the Dalit community allegedly opposed the said event. One person was killed in the incident.
The violence was followed by a mahapanchayat under the aegis of Bhim Army on May 9 at Saharanpur. When the district administration declined to grant permission for holding the mahapanchayat, Bhim Army members and their supporters allegedly blocked the traffic at the Ram Nagar Road at Saharanpur. When the police intervened, they allegedly pelted them with stones. It is also alleged that they indulged in violence and put the Ram Nagar police Chowki on fire.
An FIR in this connection was lodged by the district administration against the members of Bhim Army. Subsequently, on November 2, 2017, the Saharanpur district magistrate passed an order detaining Chandrashekhar under the National Security Act.