PESHAWAR, Feb 13: Hundreds of college students went on a rampage in the provincial metropolis to protest against the blasphemous caricatures published in European newspapers.

The students started marching from the Government College for Boys and Govt Superior Science Degree College. They blocked the main G. T. Road for more than three hours and chanted anti-west slogans.

They gathered in front of the Peshawar Press Club to protest against the sacrilegious caricatures. Students of other schools and colleges also joined the protest. They started hurling stones at the Peshawar Press Club breaking some window-panes.

A heavy contingent of police cordoned off roads leading to the Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House and government offices. When police stopped them from moving towards the Governor’s House, the police used tear gas to disperse the students and charged them with sticks. The confrontation between the police and students continued for more than three hours.

The students pelted the PTCL office and Edwards College with stones damaging window-panes. They also damaged other property in the college.

Later, a group of college students, wielding iron rods and sticks, damaged the billboard of a Norwegian mobile company and traffic signals on the main Saddar Road during their protest. Shopkeepers quickly closed down their shops.

“Some students received serious injuries while trying to flee and one student was hospitalised,” an eyewitness said.

Tahir Ali, SP Cantonment police station, said: “The protesters were in an overwhelming number and police had a tough day today.”

The East Cantonment police station said that it had arrested eight students for damage to property. The West Cantonment police station also arrested eight students for the same offence.

NAZIMS PROTEST: Nazims and councillors of the city district council also staged a protest rally at the Bacha Khan Chowk on Monday to condemn the publication of blasphemous cartoons in the European media.