Monday, September 5 2005 20:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Amritsar: Around 40 police officials were today (Sept 5, 2005) injured when demonstrators, protesting the torching of dalit houses in Gohana town of Haryana, fought pitched battles with police and set on fire 17 vehicles here.

Superintendent of Police D P Singh said the protestors clashed with police on streets and hurled soft drink bottles which left around 40 police officials, including him, injured.

Singh said they damaged ten buses, including four Punjab Roadways buses, five other vehicles and set afire two motorcycles in the city.

He said the crowd, brandishing iron and wooden rods, attacked police at different places in the walled city.

They went into a private school building near town hall and dragged children from their classrooms besides beating them.

They damaged public property at the busiest Hall Bazar area where the window-panes of some eating joints were smashed.

However, the protestors alleged that police cane charged them without any provocation in which around 40 demonstrators were injured.

Meanwhile, a report from Hoshiarpur said under tight security arrangements and police patrolling, shopkeepers, including chemists, observed complete bandh.

People of dalit community demonstrated and raised slogans against Haryana Government. They also presented a memorandum to President A P J Abdul Kalam through the Dy Commissioner.

Meanwhile, SSP, Hoshiarpur, Lok Nath Angra, said law and order situation was under control.