MUZAFFARNAGAR: Forty-one people, including two local BSP leaders , will face trial for their alleged roles in the April 2 violence here during Dalits' protests against a Supreme Court ruling, "diluting" provisions of the SC/ST Act, 1989.

Those committed for the trial by the sessions court included former chief Kamal Gautam of Bahujan Samaj Party 's district unit and Bhim Army's district in-charge Ukar Bavra, said a prosecution official.

The case was sent up for trial by chief judicial magistrate Shailendra Singh, who also directed all accused to appear before the sessions court on August 16.

According to the prosecution, 14 of the 41 accused persons in the case have been granted bail, while 27 others are still in jail.

Dalit groups had called for a Bharat Bandh on April 2 in protest against a recent Supreme Court order which, they claimed, had diluted some stringent provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Protesters had turned violent at several places, which resulted in death of at least 11 people and destruction of property across the country.

