Farmers clash with police

Over 24 people, including cops, were injured when farmers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing workers clashed with the police in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district on Saturday.

The farmers were agitating to press their demand for enhanced compensation for their lands acquired for constructing the Gokul Barrage.

Police resorted to lathi charge and firing in the air to disperse the mob as the farmers, joined by a large number of BJP youth wing workers, torched several vehicles and indulged in heavy stone throwing, according to police sources here.

The situation was still tense and security personnel had been deployed in strength to maintain order. Senior officials had reached the spot and held talks with the farmers to withdraw their agitation.

The trouble started when farmers tried to gherao the Barrage staff in support of their demand on Saturday morning. They turned violent when police conducted lathi charge to disperse them.