Widespread protests in UP against Bush visit, seven injured

Lucknow, Mar 2 (UNI) Widespread protests were reported from across Uttar Pradesh against the India visit of US President George W Bush today.

A report from Sultanpur district said that an angry mob, trying to force the closure of shops in the Trikonia Park area, turned violent, resulting in injuries to seven people, including a doctor.

In retaliation to the violence, members of another community, took to the streets causing some tensions in the area.

Police Superintendent (Sultanpur) Vijay Bhatia said the situation was now under control and adequate police force has been deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, many other organisations and Muslim leaders took to the streets across the state to protest Mr Bush's visit to India.

Activists of the Forward Bloc, CPI (ML), Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Jamate-ul-Ulema-e-Hind, Agrami Mahila Samiti, besides workers of AISA and Inqalabi Naujawan Sabha carried out procession in the Uttar Pradesh capital and also burnt the US President effigy.

The traders affiliated to Muslim organisations also downed their shutters at Kanpur in protest against the visit -- a scene that was also reported from other UP districts including Pratapgarh, Bareilly, Lakhimpur Kheri, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Sant kabir Nagar, Gonda and Mau.

The Muslim population also expressed their strong feelings against the Bush visit by hoisting black flags on their terraces.

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