Curfew was clamped in the volatile North Indian city here today following stone-pelting by an agitating mob over the alleged desecration of a holy book, resulting in injuries to more than a dozen policemen.
The trouble began late last night in Kareli Police Station area where a holy book was allegedly found desecrated inside a place of worship, police said.
Hearing the report, an angry crowd gheraoed the police station where they were given the assurance that the culprits would be brought to book "as soon as possible", police said.
However, the assurance failed to pacify the agitating mob, who began raising slogans against the police and pelted stones at the police station. Senior police officials rushed to the spot, where the stone-pelting continued for about an hour, resulting in injuries to two Sub-Inspectors of Police and damage to several vehicles, police added.
Police resorted to lathi charge and fired in the air to disperse the mob and a heavy deployment of police and provincial armed constabulary was made in the area after the situation was brought under control. Forces were also rushed to localities in Shahganj and Kotwali Police Station areas from where similar outbreaks of violence were reported.