Protest outside UP Assembly on Muzaffarnagar violence

LUCKNOW: Several persons were injured today when police used batons to disperse members of Peace Party protesting in front of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly building here over the Muzaffarnagar violence.

A large number of workers of Peace Party, which has four MLAs, today gathered in front of the Assembly building demanding dismissal of the SP government and Rs 50 lakh compensation to the next of kin of the Muslims killed in the Muzaffarnagar riots.

They also demanded Rs 10 lakh aid to those injured. Demanding a judicial probe into the violence, the protesters also sought immediate release of "innocent" Muslims arrested in the riots.

During the protest, some party workers attempted to scale the gates of the building after which police resorted to lathicharge.

Party leaders claimed that several workers were injured. 48 people were killed and thousands of others were displaced in communal violence that rocked Muzaffarnagar district and surrounding areas in western Uttar Pradesh early this month.