Saturday, January 7 2006 12:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: At least eight persons, including some policemen were injured when local butchers clashed with a police raiding party prompting them to open fire in Dholka town of the district, police said.

Acting on a tip off, police raided a slaughter house in the town on the outskirts of the city, which was allegedly involved in the illegal slaughtering of cattle.

When the police team tried to round up some of the cattle brought illegally for slaughter from the spot a group of angry butchers began pelting stones at the police.

Police asked the local leaders to intervene, but soon the number of people attacking the police swelled and about six policemen were injured in stone pelting.

Police reacted by lobbing teargas shells and later fired in the air to disperse the mob. When all the attempts to quell the protesters failed, police opened fire injuring about two persons.

Tension continues to prevail in the town. The injured were rushed to a local hospital and about 30 cattle have been seized from the slaughter house, police added.