Mumbai, August 11
Two persons were killed and 14 others including police personnel and journalists were seriously injured after those who had gathered in downtown Mumbai to protest killings in Assam turned violent.

According to information available from the police headquarters, protesters ran amok. The protesters who had gathered at Azad Maidan opposite the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, came out on the streets and stoned vehicles including BEST buses and police vans before setting some Outdoor Broadcast vans of television channels on fire, police said.

Crowds spilled out on to the streets. After several policemen were beaten up by the mob, police opened fire in the air after a lathi-charge failed to curb the violent protesters. Two mediapersons were seriously injured and are in St George’s Hospital.

Some protesters subsequently ran out on to the street and crossed the underground subway to the CST railway station where they damaged a number of shops, police said. Train services on the Central railway line were disrupted. The mob damaged several OB vans of TV channels. At least three vans were gutted, police said.

All traffic leading to Azad Maidan to be diverted as a precautionary measure. Contingents of the Rapid Action Force were rushed to the spot. Later in the evening, leaders came to the area and were persuading protesters to disperse peacefully.