Daijiworld Media Network - Mysore (SP)

Mysore, Jul 10: As thousands of protesters who took to streets at the behest of the leadership of Popular Front of India (PFI) gathered at the Fountain Circle here on Thursday July 9 and started pelting stones at the policemen who were trying to control the situation, the policemen resorted to caning, bursting of tear gas shells and firing in the air to disperse them.

Assailants stabbed assistant commissioner of police A K Suresh in the face, in the melee. A police constable from V V Pura police station named Mahesh too suffered injuries inflicted by a knife. A police inspector and some other personnel were wounded due to stoning. A few photographers, who were taking snaps, were also injured.

The protesters were up in arms against the policemen for their action in arresting PFI district president Kaleem and 15 of his accomplices on the charge of blocking efforts of the policemen to discharge their duties during the communal clashes in Kyatamaranahalli on Tuesday last. The activists, who came from different districts, gathered in the city in spite of the the prohibitory orders being in force, as per the 'Jail Bharo' agitation of PFI.

When the protesters did not heed to the requests of the policemen to stop agitating and return home, the stones flew towards the policemen, forcing the policemen to use force. Vehicular traffic on Bangalore Road was disrupted. At the end of the disturbances, the Fountain Circle wore a look of battle field, with stones, footwear etc., having been strewn around.

In view of the tense situation, curfew has been enforced in the limits of N R Mohalla and Udayagiri police stations in the city, from Thursday night to July 13. The prohibitory orders already clamped in Mandi and Lashkar areas will continue. About a hundred protesters were arrested by the policemen.