Mathura violence toll 24, 23 policemen injured

Mathura: The toll in Thursday evening's violence in Mathura stood at 24, including 22 "trouble makers" and two policemen, Uttar Pradesh DGP Javed Ahmed said here on Friday. Twenty-three policemen are injured, including some seriously.

"So far 22 trouble makers have died, including one woman. Eleven died due to fire which was set by the trouble-makers. And others succumbed to their injuries," Ahmed told reporters here.

"We are sorry to inform that Superintendent of Police Mukul Dwivedi and Station House Officer Santosh Yadav were also martyred. They laid down their lives while discharging their duties to uphold the rule of law," Ahmed told reporters.

The DGP said: "So far 23 policemen, some with grievous bullet injuries, were admitted to the hospital."

"I was told that the policemen were mercilessly beaten," he said.

Police also recovered 47 country-made revolvers, six rifles and 178 live cartridges from Jawaharbagh.

Ahmed said the violence was sparked off after a police team had gone to the spot to ensure peaceful eviction of encroachers as directed by the Allahabad High Court.

However, the encroachers attacked the police party.

"It was an unprovoked attack and firing on police. Stones were also thrown at the police," he said, adding the violence led to grievous injuries to two police officers, Dwivedi and Santosh Yadav, who succumbed later.

He said the "trouble makers" set fire to a few temporary huts where the presence of LPG cylinders and gunpowder only aggravated the situation.

"We were also told that the protesters were creating problems in the neighbourhood during the last two years," he alleged.

Earlier, DGP and other police officials and personnel paid tributes to the killed police officers at Police Lines in Mathura.

The DGP announced that the families of the martyred police officers will be provided with all assistance.