Sanitation workers strike in Aligarh over arrest of Valmiki youth

Sanitation workers in Aligarh city went on strike on Thursday to protest the arrest of a Valmiki community youth in connection with the alleged assault of a Karni Sena youth leader, police said.

The municipal sanitation workers said they would not resume work unless police register a counter-case against Karni Sena youth leader Sachin Raghav, who was allegedly involved in an anti-reservation protest on Monday and accused of making derogatory remarks against members of the Valmiki community.

The strike followed the alleged assault on Raghav near the State Bank of India main branch on Wednesday night.

Police Circle Officer Sarvam Singh said more than 100 unidentified persons had been booked in connection with the assault under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The sections invoked include Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 131 (voluntarily causing hurt or assault to deter a public servant from duty), Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt), and Section 351 (criminal intimidation).

Police said further investigation was underway.

The sanitation workers' protest affected civic cleaning work in the city, with the workers maintaining that they would return to duty only after their demand for a counter-report against Raghav was met.