Mayawati burnt in effigy, 2 roadways buses set afire

Lucknow, Jan 11 (UNI) Opposition Samajwadi Party workers today burnt Chief Minister Mayawati in effigy and set afire two roadways buses in Etawah and Kanpur City to protest the alleged manhandling of senior party leaders, including the party's Uttar Pradesh unit president Shivpal Singh Yadav, by Lucknow Police on Tuesday.

In Kanpur, the activists of the Samajwadi Party youth brigade burnt the CM's effigy near Rawatpur crossing, Senior Superintendent of Police Anand Swaroop said.

Later, they targetted a roadways bus coming from Kannauj by first pelting stones. The bus was then doused with kerosene and set afire, even as passengers, including women, were aboard.

Some persons, including the driver, reportedly sustained wounds.

In another incident, the SP workers emptied a roadways bus on Etawah-Bewar road and set it ablaze. However, no one was hurt.

Talking to newspersons here this evening, Uttar Pradeh home department principal secretary J N Chamber said Pradeep Tiwari, Moin Khan, Soni Mishra and Pandit involved in the Kanpur incident had been identified from a video footage.

He informed that Pradeep had criminal antecedents with several cases registered against him.

Meanwhile, Shankar and Santosh had been arrested in Kanpur and two countrymade firearms recovered from their possession.

On the information provided by the duo, an illicit countrymade firearms unit was busted and a large quantity of firearms seized.

Raids were being conducted to nab other persons in this regard.

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