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At least three people were killed and two injured in police firing in Lucknow that followed clashes with a section of Muslims opposing the nationwide ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the arrest of its leaders on Thursday, police said.
The violence followed a Union home ministry order earlier on Thursday banning the Islamic outfit for its alleged anti-national activities. The Uttar Pradesh government had been seeking a ban on SIMI for some months.
"In pursuance of the ban order, the police got into action and simultaneously raided SIMI's units in 16 districts from where 67 persons were arrested," Principal Home Secretary Naresh Dayal told reporters.
Raids were carried out in Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Faizabad, Fatehpur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Mau, Ambedkarnagar, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Mathura, Bhadohi and Lucknow districts.
"SIMI offices in each of these districts have been sealed and orders issued for similar action in all other places wherever such offices exist," Dayal said.
Clashes erupted in Lucknow following the arrest of SIMI's state chief Humam Ahmed and two other activists from the Wazirbagh area.
Muslim residents sought to resist the arrest of Humam and allegedly pelted the police with stones and even fired at them.
"Firing was also opened by members of the frenzied mob, following which we had no option but to return the fire, though not before repeated warnings issued over the public address system," said Lucknow's Senior Superintendent of Police B B Bakshi.
The violence and arson prompted the administration to clamp curfew in the city's old quarters. Officials claimed the situation had been brought under control by late afternoon.
The crackdown on the SIMI began after its national president Shahid Badr made inflammatory speeches at a meeting in Bahraich, close to the Nepal border about 100 km from Lucknow, on September 16.
While Badr reportedly praised Saudi renegade Osama bin Laden as the 'true saviour of Islam', his colleague and former SIMI president Mohammad Anees disowned the Indian Constitution and expressed lack of faith in Parliament.
Last week, a manhunt was launched after the two leaders went into hiding following the arrest of six SIMI activists in Bahraich.
Meanwhile, Muslim residents of the city areas affected by Thursday's rioting accused the police of unprovoked firing on 'peacefully demonstrating crowds'.
Some of the residents called the police action inept.
"We are not against their arresting anyone for whipping up communal passions. But why couldn't that be done late in the night so that it would not provoke mass reaction?" said an elderly resident of Saadatganj.
Even though tension was palpable in the city's old parts, the police chief maintained the situation was fully under control.
Indo-Asian News Service
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