Lucknow, Aug 17 (IANS) Violence broke out in the Uttar Pradesh capital city Friday as hundreds of irate Muslims, protesting violence against the community in Assam and Myanmar, took to the streets, attacked people, and vandalised shops and vehicles in their way.
It all started after prayers on the last Friday of the month of Ramzan when a mob of over 2,000 people, owing allegiance to Jamaat-e-Ulema took out a procession from old Lucknow after the 'alvida namaaz' and began moving towards the Vidhan Sabha.
Raising slogans against the killings of Muslims in Myanmar and Assam, the crowd turned violent even targeting the famous Buddha Park where they vandalised many statues and uprooted plants. The police posse present there remained silent spectators.
The crowd was finally physically stopped at the Vidhan Sabha when the protestors wanted to proceed towards the chief minister's Kalidas Marg residence.
The mob then turned its ire on the media persons and cameramen present at the legislature, attacking the journalists, breaking their cameras and vandalising the OB van of a national television channel.
While the mob soon melted away, the media persons staged a sit-in demanding action and arrest of the people who attacked them. They said they would not move until the principal secretary for home came and met them and ordered arrest of the attackers.
Violent protests have been reported from Kanpur also where protestors pelted stones on passers-by at Rizvi Road and Cycle Market areas after the namaaz. Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed to prevent further escalation of violence.
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