Sporadic violence involving Samajwadi Party (SP) workers broke out in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday in which one boy was killed, two persons were injured and TV cameras smashed during a clash with media persons in separate incidents.
Fresh from his party's stunning victory in the Assembly elections, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav condemned the violence and promised that action would be taken against all those who had taken the law into their own hands. Mr. Yadav said he was aware of the three incidents in Sambhal, Jhansi and Firozabad.
Police said the boy, identified as Danish, died after being hit by a bullet during celebratory firing allegedly by supporters of the SP candidate from Sambhal, Iqbal Mahmood. Sambhal is about 350 km from here.
Superintendent of Police D.K. Garg said necessary action was being taken.
Reports reaching here from Jhansi, about 300 km from here, said SP supporters clashed with some TV cameramen, during which some of their equipment were broken. The media persons were trapped in a room.
A complaint in this regard has been registered with the district administration, sources said.
Jhansi SP Satish Ganesh said the journalists were safe and not in any danger.
Mr. Yadav said two groups clashed before the results came out in Jhansi and that he had spoken to the police.
Events unclear
“We have discussed [measures to get] media persons out safely and stern action will be taken against who's behind it,” Mr. Yadav said, adding: “It is the time of election results and is still not clear what happened.”
In Firozabad, two persons were injured with one receiving gunshot injuries as supporters of the defeated SP candidate from the Sadar seat, Azim Bhai, clashed with the police and opened fire demanding recounting on the seat which it lost to the Bharatiya Janata Party by a margin of 2,015 votes.
