Agra mob pelts stones, hurts MP

Angry protesters smash vehicles, allege police beat innocent person to death

Lok Sabha member from Agra, Ram Shankar Katheria, has been injured after a mob pelted stones at him in protest against alleged killing of a person by police, police said on Saturday.

Katheria had to be admitted to a hospital after he was hit by a stone in the Tourist  Complex area of Fatehabad Road on Friday night.

Violence broke out after residents of Taj Ganj area brought out a man’s body and blocked the road.

Ramu, originally from Firozabad, was married to Sapna of Taj Ganj area only three months ago. His family members said police had picked him up for gambling with some others.
They accused police of mercilessly beating Ramu, who subsequently died, and throwing his body in the wilderness.

Police wanted access to the body but the agitators, who numbered several hundred, refused and pelted stones.

Later, a mob attacked hotels and restaurants on Fatehabad Road.

The protesters damaged vehicles parked outside hotels on Fatehabad Road. A marriage party was disturbed and the groom from Punjab beaten up.

Police resorted to a mild baton-charge, bursting of tear gas shells and firing of rubber bullets to control the mob.

Katheria, along with senior police officials, tried to intervene and persuade the protesters. It was then that a stone hit the MP who is now being treated in a private nursing home for a serious head injury.

Police officials have reviewed the security arrangements in the tourist complex, with Taj Mahal’s security being beefed up.

Police, early on Saturday, said the situation was under control.

Tourists flee

The incident, in an area where most hotels are located, prompted foreign tourists to flee.

Hotels and cars were attacked. Most foreign tourists fled, some leaving the city late at night, as they feared for their life, sources said.

Police denied that tourists had left Agra due to the disturbances, but some hoteliers confirmed that a few groups had chosen to shift to Delhi in panic.

The tourist area close to Taj Mahal saw a massive deployment of police personnel.