Basti: One person was on December 11 killed and 21, including 13 policemen, were injured when Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists clashed with police at a railway crossing gate in Basti prompting them to burst teargas shells and fire in the air.

An additional superintendent of police was seriously injured when BKU activists, protesting against delay in cane crushing season, pelted stones on him when he went to pacify them, police said.

The BKU activists then took control of a railway crossing gate by locking the gateman and indulged in heavy brick-batting and set ablaze vehicles, including that of a SP, in Munderwa bazaar area, they said.

A platoon commander of PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) and a head constable were among those injured in the clash.

The BKU activists also set the jeep of an ACP (Assistant Commissioner of Police), a roadways bus and a godown of the cooperative society, police said.

Additional police and PAC have been deployed in the area as the activists were still staging dharna on the railway gate, police said.

Senior officials including the Commissioner, DIG, DM and SP have reached the spot and efforts were on to disperse the crowd.

Meanwhile, a number of trains have been cancelled and the routes of those running between Gorakhpur and Lucknow have been changed, police said adding that bus services were also hit.

PTI