Yashwant Sinha injured in Ranchi lathi-charge

Former finance minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha and a dozen others were injured on Thursday when the police used batons to disperse the party activists who tried to gherao the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

Sinha claimed before the media persons that he was subjected to "merciless" lathi-charge during the "peaceful" agitation.

"In a barbaric action, the police beat us up, injuring several of our leaders. I am also injured. We would raise the issue in the ongoing Parliament session," Sinha added.

Sinha and former Jharkhand's chief minister Arjun Munda were leading the agitation demanding dissolution of the assembly to pave the way for elections.

Three of Sinha's bodyguards received serious injuries while protecting him and other leaders.

According to the police, they had to resort to a lathi-charge after the protesters broke open a barricade and rushed towards the gate number two of Raj Bhavan.

"We were baton charged by the security-men when we were trying to protect Sinha after seeing blood oozing from under his ear," one of Sinha's security-men told media persons.

Both the police and the BJP activists were among the injured.

The Raj Bhavan was fortified and barricades were erected at five points leading to the Governor's house.