Date:18/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011804080800.htm

National

Protests turn violent

NOIDA, JAN. 17. Police fired in the air and resorted to lathicharge to control a mob in a Greater Noida area in Uttar Pradesh as protests against the scrapping of the Gautam Budh Nagar district took a violent turn today.

Demonstrators indulged in arson and clashing with police at many places. Amid a shutdown for the fourth day, at least one police post and a police jeep were set ablaze at Pari Chowk by protesters. Hundreds of demonstrators, raising slogans against the Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, fought pitched battles with policemen at a number of places, police sources said.

Movement of trains was also hampered.

At least 24 protesters were taken into custody for indulging in violence.

— PTI