Guj: Vehicles torched, stones pelted in anti-US protest

A huge mob of more than 2000 people torched ten vehicles, including two police vehicles on Wednesday, after a protest against an anti-Islam film made in the United States, turned violent in Ahmedabad, police officials said.

Ten policemen were also injured due to stone pelting, while one police vehicle and a motorcycle were torched in the incident, as the mob went berserk, they said.

Police fired more than 20 rounds of tear gas shells and resorted to a lathi charge to quell the mob.

The mob had gathered at 2 pm in Sardarbaug to protest against the film, reached the Juma Masjid, which is a few kilometres away from Sardarbaug and met Mufti Shabbir Alam Siddiqi who advised them against taking out the rally, Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Tomar said.

Those who wished to organise the rally went berserk and torched Khaas Bazar Chowky near Karanj Mahila Police station, he said.

"I strongly believe that this was just venting of anger and not planned violence at all," he said.

The police arrested more than 90 people to control the situation. Reinforcements from six police stations like Dariapur, Kalupur, Shahpur, Karanj, Gaekwad Haveli and Crime Branch had to be called in to control the situation.