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Powerless Amethi out on streets, cops crack down
Amethi, the parliamentary constituency represented by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, is short of power and its people on a short fuse.
Amethi, the parliamentary constituency represented by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, is short of power and its people on a short fuse.
They were out protesting Monday night and the police came down heavy. They lobbed teargas shells and used batons. The police even entered some houses and assaulted women.
A senior police officer, however, said they were pelted with stones and had to use force to disperse the mob. A shutdown was observed in the town on Tuesday against police action.
Amethi, 100 km east of state capital Lucknow, has been facing acute power shortage.
The administration says the township is getting adequate supply, but traders complain that five hours of electricity is all they get. They along with locals came out on the streets on Monday night to register protest.
A group assembled at the police station for talks with officers of power corporation. Another group joined them a little later. As the talks were on, someone threw stones, injuring two policemen. The police action followed.
PTI said the police had filed FIR against 235 protesters.
Blaming traders for the violence, Sultanpur Superintendent of Police R.K. Chaturvedi said they were split in two camps. The power problem had almost been sorted out during Monday’s talks. But, one of the groups suddenly started pelting stones, forcing police to cane-charge, he said.
Ten policemen were injured, he said.
