Anti-encroachment drive turns violent in UP, police assault women protesters

Kanpur: An anti-encroachment drive by a civic body on Sunday resulted in violence after police allegedly assaulted and lathi-charged agitators, including several women who were "forcibly dragged" out of their homes.

Locals objected to the drive by the municipal corporation to remove illegal encroachments from Tat Mill to Babu Purva area and this led to a scuffle between them during which the civic body officials were allegedly manhandled, police said.

On the other hand, the protesters claimed that the police constables forcibly dragged them and assaulted them.

Women protesters, who laid down on the ground in front of the bulldozers in Maswanpur area, were allegedly assaulted and baton-charged by the police along with male agitators.

Circle Officer (Babu Purva) Mohan Tripathi, however, denied police using extreme force and said the demolition drive will continue.

He said the anti-encroachment drive by the civic body was being carried out in compliance with Allahabad High Court order on a PIL, which had directed the District Magistrate to ensure illegal encroachments were demolished for smooth traffic flow.

The anti-encroachment drive was initiated by the civic body along with police and Provincial Armed Constabulary officials yesterday and several illegal encroachments including over three dozen slums were razed.