Lucknow, Aug 17 (IANS) Support for Anna Hazare swelled Wednesday across Uttar Pradesh as employees of government offices, banks and public sector undertakings as well as lawyers suspended work to join street protests in support of the now jailed anti-corruption crusader.

While reports of people taking to streets to express solidarity with Hazare poured in from different cities, huge crowds were seen in the state capital.

A string of meetings were held outside the offices of Life Insurance Corporation, banks and railways, with men and women raising pro-Hazare slogans. They flayed the central government for jailing him.

"It is shocking that those who run this country failed to even assess the mass support Anna's movement was bound to draw. That reflects the bankruptcy of their mind," said Mohan Pandey, a Lucknow University teacher who organised a demonstration in Hazare's support.

Similar demonstrations were staged in certain colleges. Students turned out in large numbers at the Jhule Lal Park along the Gomati river where a core team of India Against Corruption (IAC) activists are on an indefinite fast.

Said IAC convenor R.K. Agrawal: "People have been coming in small and large groups to express their solidarity with the Anna movement."