Over 200 booked for 'rioting' during rally in Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad (UP): Police here have booked 217 people under charges of rioting for violation of prohibitory orders by participating in Prajapati Samaj yatra, an officer said on Sunday.

The accused were part of a 'Sankalp Yatra' and wanted to cross over to Delhi via Ghaziabad to hand over a memorandum to the President of India with a demand of reservation and participation in politics.

They took out the march in Sahibabad site-4 industrial area on Friday night.

When police tried to stop the yatra, the participants started pelting stones at the police personnel and also damaged some vehicles, due to which, force had to be used to disperse the mob, police said.

An FIR was lodged in the matter at Link Road Police Station under sections 147 (rioting), and 188 (violation of prohibitory orders) on Saturday, Trans-Hindan Deputy Commissioner of Police Nimish Patil said on Sunday. Though the rally was stopped, police allowed five people who were part of the rally to proceed towards Delhi on Saturday.

Police are trying to identify the rioters through CCTV footage, he said.