03-04-2006, 01:01 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Anti-Bush stir gets communal</b>
- By Amita Verma
www.asianage.com
Lucknow, March 3: Anti-Bush protests here on Friday led to large- scale communal violence in which two minors were killed and over three dozen people seriously injured. Curfew has been imposed in the Wazirganj and Qaiserbagh police circles of the city.
Protesters vandalised and looted over 20 shops before setting them on fire. A building that houses a nationalised bank was also set on fire. Over two dozen vehicles, including three jeeps, were set on fire in the riot-affected areas and three police personnel were among those injured.
According to reports, an organisation called Mohammadi Mission had given a call for observing Friday as "Yaume Bad-dua" in protest against US President George W. Bush's visit to India. The processions began from various mosques after the Friday prayers in the afternoon, and as soon as one procession reached the congested Maulviganj locality, some boys began forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters.
A few shopkeepers who resisted were beaten up by the youths. The shopkeepers regrouped themselves in large numbers and returned to attack the protesters. The two groups pelted stones and threw bottles filled with acid while some miscreants opened fire from rooftops. Boys armed with iron rods and cycle chains could be seen targeting people belonging to a particular community.
As soon as news of the violence spread across the city, clashes began in Nazirabad, Aminabad, Charbagh, Aishbagh, Nakkhas, Model House and Cantt Road localities. Even the posh Hazratganj area was not spared, and miscreants vandalised several shops in the area and damaged private vehicles parked there.
The outbreak of communal violence, incidentally, coincided with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's visit to the state capital on Friday evening. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was also present in the city when the riots took place. Several roads leading to the venue of the function at which the President and the former Prime Minister were guests were blocked, and the entire administration remained on tenterhooks until the VVIPs left for Delhi in the evening.
District magistrate R.N. Tripathi told reporters that a minor dispute had led to the escalation of violence, while principal home secretary Alok Sinha said that four companies of the Provisional Armed Constabulary and Rapid Action Force had been deployed in the communally-sensitive localities.
The officials, however, refused to confirm the death of a minor, even though TV news channels showed the body of the child lying on La Touche Road. The officials also denied that the police had opened fire on the rioters, but the injured persons who have been admitted to Balrampur Hospital told reporters that the police had targeted them and fired. <b>Most of the injured have been hit by bullets either in the legs or in the neck. Some of the injured persons have suffered serious burn injuries caused by acid attacks.</b>
<b>The situation in Lucknow remains tense, though violence has been contained to a large extent</b>.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Once again the Muslims of India show India's secular ethos and make us all proud.
- By Amita Verma
www.asianage.com
Lucknow, March 3: Anti-Bush protests here on Friday led to large- scale communal violence in which two minors were killed and over three dozen people seriously injured. Curfew has been imposed in the Wazirganj and Qaiserbagh police circles of the city.
Protesters vandalised and looted over 20 shops before setting them on fire. A building that houses a nationalised bank was also set on fire. Over two dozen vehicles, including three jeeps, were set on fire in the riot-affected areas and three police personnel were among those injured.
According to reports, an organisation called Mohammadi Mission had given a call for observing Friday as "Yaume Bad-dua" in protest against US President George W. Bush's visit to India. The processions began from various mosques after the Friday prayers in the afternoon, and as soon as one procession reached the congested Maulviganj locality, some boys began forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters.
A few shopkeepers who resisted were beaten up by the youths. The shopkeepers regrouped themselves in large numbers and returned to attack the protesters. The two groups pelted stones and threw bottles filled with acid while some miscreants opened fire from rooftops. Boys armed with iron rods and cycle chains could be seen targeting people belonging to a particular community.
As soon as news of the violence spread across the city, clashes began in Nazirabad, Aminabad, Charbagh, Aishbagh, Nakkhas, Model House and Cantt Road localities. Even the posh Hazratganj area was not spared, and miscreants vandalised several shops in the area and damaged private vehicles parked there.
The outbreak of communal violence, incidentally, coincided with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's visit to the state capital on Friday evening. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was also present in the city when the riots took place. Several roads leading to the venue of the function at which the President and the former Prime Minister were guests were blocked, and the entire administration remained on tenterhooks until the VVIPs left for Delhi in the evening.
District magistrate R.N. Tripathi told reporters that a minor dispute had led to the escalation of violence, while principal home secretary Alok Sinha said that four companies of the Provisional Armed Constabulary and Rapid Action Force had been deployed in the communally-sensitive localities.
The officials, however, refused to confirm the death of a minor, even though TV news channels showed the body of the child lying on La Touche Road. The officials also denied that the police had opened fire on the rioters, but the injured persons who have been admitted to Balrampur Hospital told reporters that the police had targeted them and fired. <b>Most of the injured have been hit by bullets either in the legs or in the neck. Some of the injured persons have suffered serious burn injuries caused by acid attacks.</b>
<b>The situation in Lucknow remains tense, though violence has been contained to a large extent</b>.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Once again the Muslims of India show India's secular ethos and make us all proud.