Lathi vs jhadu: BJP activists beat up AAP workers in Lucknow

Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday attacked a group of Aam Aadmi Party volunteers outside the BJP headquarters in Lucknow.

The AAP members had gathered there to stage a demonstration to lodge their protest against the detention of their leader Arvind Kejriwal in Gujarat.

Armed with their party symbol -- brooms -- a group of 40-50 AAP workers had barely reached the BJP office when activists of the party’s youth wing took them by surprise.
Armed with lathis and rods, BJP activists started showering blows on them.

The AAP workers were beaten mercilessly until the police intervened.

“It seems that BJP activists had been tipped off about the AAP’s plan to stage a demonstration outside their office. Even before AAP workers could reach the gates of the BJP office, yuva morcha activists were seen with sticks in their hand,” said an eyewitness on the condition of anonymity.

At least half a dozen AAP workers received grievous injuries and had to be rushed to the local civil hospital.

Police are yet to lodge a formal complaint against the culprits.

AAP workers have gathered at the Hazratganj police station to demand action against BJP activists involved in the attack.

“We are asking AAP leaders to give a written complaint. As soon as we get one, we will register a FIR,” said police.

From PTI: AAP activists allegedly attacked the BJP office with bricks, drawing retaliation as the saffron party workers, carrying canes, took to the streets.

Several people were mercilessly beaten up by canes after being knocked down on the road as rival groups chased each other away.

Shirts of some activists were ripped off and many protesters were pinned down on the road before lathi blows rained on them.

National council member of AAP, Vaibhav Maheshwari, told PTI that his party members were staging a "peaceful" demonstration.

BJP activists hurled bricks on them from inside their party office and attacked them with lathis, he claimed.

Maheshwari claimed an AAP activist was seriously injured while four to five others were also wounded.

BJP spokesman Vijay Pathak said AAP workers clashed with his party workers, who were standing outside the office, and resorted to throwing bricks. They later fled as they were outnumbered and police arrived at the site, he said.

Police brought the situation under control and normalcy was restored after some time.

Image: A TV grab of the violence in Lucknow