03-04-2006, 06:48 PM
Any news from Kaleem Kawaja's relatives in UP? I'm expecting this to be pinned on Hindu singing kirtans.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Anti-Bush stir gets communal
- By Amita Verma
www.asianage.com
Lucknow, March 3: <b>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. </b>Curfew has been imposed in the
Wazirganj and Qaiserbagh police circles of the city.
<b>Protesters vandalised and looted over 20 shops before setting them on
fire</b>. 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, <b>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.</b> 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. 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.
The situation in Lucknow remains tense, though violence has been
contained to a large extent.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Anti-Bush stir gets communal
- By Amita Verma
www.asianage.com
Lucknow, March 3: <b>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. </b>Curfew has been imposed in the
Wazirganj and Qaiserbagh police circles of the city.
<b>Protesters vandalised and looted over 20 shops before setting them on
fire</b>. 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, <b>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.</b> 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. 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.
The situation in Lucknow remains tense, though violence has been
contained to a large extent.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->