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Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow
Six persons were killed and about 25 injured in police firing and lathi-charge on Friday afternoon in Kanpur. Among the dead was magistrate D P Pathak.
The police opened fire on activists belonging to three Islamic bodies, who demonstrating against the recent alleged burning of the Holy Quran in New Delhi.
They were also burning an effigy of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, against who they raised slogans demanding his resignation over the government's role in the defence scandal.
According to the police, "We had to open fire after the mob turned violent and resorted to arson and brick-batting ."
Principal home secretary Naresh Dayal told rediff.com, "Initially activists of the Students Islamic Movement of India, Muslim League and the Mili Itihat Morcha had announced their programme to take out a rally to protest against the alleged burning of the Quran in Delhi, but as they proceeded towards the city's main shopping centre, Naveen Market, they burnt an effigy of the prime minister, that was followed by violence and arson."
He said the mob set ablaze a shop and a few two-wheelers parked on the roadside, when the police moved in to disperse them with the use of 'mild force'. However, the mobs turned even more violent and just as someone lobbed a grenade, the police opened fire leading to the instant death of three activists.
Meanwhile, a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The home secretary, however, claimed, "The situation is well under control now."
Curfew has been imposed in all communally sensitive areas of the town.
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