SP workers stop train, clash with police in Auraiya

Lucknow, Dec 25 (PTI) Samajwadi Party workers Thursday
stopped trains in the Indian city of Allahabad and took out
processions in Mathura, Mainpuri, Etawah and certain other
districts in the northern Indian city of Uttar Pradesh as a
part of their state-wide bandh called to protest against the
murder of a Public Works Department (PWD) engineer allegedly
by a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA (Member of Legislative
Assembly).

About 20 SP workers were arrested in Mathura during a
protest against the killing of M K Gupta who was allegedly
beaten to death by local MLA Shekhar Tiwari and two of his
associates in Auraiya after he is believed to have turned down
their demand for a huge sum for birthday celebration of BSP
leader Mayawati, a charge denied by the state government.

In Allahabad, protesting SP workers stopped a train,
while in Etawah, Mainpuri, Aligarh and Auraiya processions
were taken out, the party sources said, adding that the
shopkeepers kept their shutters down in several other areas
also.

In Auraiya, SP supporters clashed with the police
during a procession led by former party MLA Kamlesh Pathak.

The clashes occurred when the SP supporters tried to
burn the effigy of Mayawati, police sources said, adding that
mild force was used to disperse the protesters.

In the state capital Lucknow, party MP, Akhilesh Yadav
and state unit president Shivpal Singh Yadav led a
demonstration, party sources said.

Meanwhile, the accused BSP MLA Tiwari, who was
arrested last evening in the murder case, is likely to be
produced in a court in Auraiya, police sources said.

Tight security arrangements have been made at the
court premises to prevent any untoward incident. PTI