Violent protests erupted today during a nationwide bandh called by several dalit organisations against the alleged dilution of the SCs/STs act. The violent protests hit life across the country with incidents of arson and vandalism reported from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab, among other states. Hundreds of protesters carrying swords, sticks, baseball bats and flags forced shopkeepers and other establishments to shut down in several cities of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Odisha and Jharkhand.