UP: Bahuguna Joshi among Cong workers detained

The police baton-charged and detained several Congress leaders and workers on Thursday, including Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, during a statewide protest against the arrest of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

"Several party leaders and workers were injured in the lathicharge on peaceful protesters and UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi was manhandled by police," party spokesman Subodh Srivastava said in Lucknow.

The Congress has announced a statewide chakka jam on Thursday to protest Gandhi's arrest in Bhatta Parsaul on Wednesday night and in support of farmers' demands in Greater Noida. The Congress general secretary was later released.

In Lucknow, the Congress workers led by state president Joshi staged a demonstration at Bapu Bhawan crossing near Vidhan Bhawan and blocked roads.

In a bid to disperse the agitating party workers, police resorted to lathicharge in which several party workers were injured. The police later detained several party workers, including Joshi, and they were taken to the police line.

In Rae Bareli, two MLAs and MLCs along with other party workers were detained and later released after they blocked the national highway on Thursday morning. Similar protests were held in other parts of the state including Jhansi, Meerut, Allahabad and Sitapur districts.