NEW DELHI, March 3: At least three people were killed and scores injured in the northern city of Lucknow on Friday when street protests against the visit of US President George W. Bush to India turned violent, witnesses said.
They said one Muslim teenager was shot in the clashes and two others died in hospital after they were either stabbed or shot during clashes that took the form of Hindu-Muslim clashes. It was not clear if all or any one of them were killed in police firing to stop the violence.
Lucknow’s main business districts of Aminabad, Nazirabad, Latouche Road and Hazratganj were said to be hit by the mostly Muslim protesters who tried to force the closure of shops owned by Hindus.
Muslims had called for a closure of shops after they planned protests on the last day of President Bush’s visit, which coincided with Friday congregation.
Lucknow’s Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey was quoted as saying the boy, a Muslim, was shot. Thousands had earlier marched through the city against the Bush visit.
There were reports that arguments broke out when apparently armed Muslims tried to force the shopkeepers to close their businesses. The two sides exchanged blows and then traded gunfire.
Reports said the protesters had set fire to shops and banks in the Nazirabad district of the city.
Reports say arguments between Hindus and Muslims got out of control because of inadequate security with many police deployed elsewhere to deal with a visit by Indian President Abdul Kalam.
Indians of all faiths have been protesting the Bush visit but Muslim groups across the country have been the most organised. They held demostrations in Lucknow and elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday against the visit of US President and released black balloons. Their placards read “Enemy of Mankind - George Bush Go Back”.
The day started with a large group releasing black balloons followed by a sit-in, organised under the banner of Jamaat-i-Islami Hind and supported by the Forward Bloc as well as the National Congress Party (NCP) that is a coalition partner in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi.
The demonstrators also raised slogans against United States allies Britain and Israel for “unleashing terror against Islam”.
