Varanasi: The violence and arson that took place in Varanasi on Monday was "pre-planned" and the reason for instigation is being looked into, police has said.
"We have evidence to say that it was pre-planned. What or who instigated them is being investigated," Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari said while referring to Monday's violent incidents which left 25 people, including eight policemen, injured and lot of property destroyed.
He said the saints who participated in the protest march that turned violent have been named in the FIR in their capacity as organisers, besides taking note of their actions in the run-up to the violence.
Mr Kulhari said the FIR was registered pertaining to sections of rioting, obstructing police in discharge of duty, damage to public and private property under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code.
However, the SSP denied this, saying the arrests have been made as per the CCTV and video footages.
Mr Gupta claimed before mediapersons that he was beaten up by a group of policemen and his two cameras were broken by them as he clicked the act of three to four policemen torching a motorbike.
Mr Kulhari, who met him in the hospital, denied Mr Gupta's allegation, saying the photographs didn't confirm the acts of policemen torching a motorbike.
Mr Gupta told PTI that his camera was snatched and crushed by policemen and that a group of 20 policemen including PAC personnel beat him up brutally with their lathis.
At least a dozen companies of PAC, Rapid Action Force and police forces from neighbouring districts have been deployed in Varanasi to maintain peace.
Police claimed that all shops were open and the situation was normal with security personnel deployed at each and every intersection, besides mobile patrolling.
However, locals at Godowlia claimed that the situation of panic still prevailed and some shops remained closed on Tuesday.
"We have evidence to say that it was pre-planned. What or who instigated them is being investigated," Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari said while referring to Monday's violent incidents which left 25 people, including eight policemen, injured and lot of property destroyed.
He said the saints who participated in the protest march that turned violent have been named in the FIR in their capacity as organisers, besides taking note of their actions in the run-up to the violence.
Mr Kulhari said the FIR was registered pertaining to sections of rioting, obstructing police in discharge of duty, damage to public and private property under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code.
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However, the SSP denied this, saying the arrests have been made as per the CCTV and video footages.
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Mr Gupta claimed before mediapersons that he was beaten up by a group of policemen and his two cameras were broken by them as he clicked the act of three to four policemen torching a motorbike.
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Mr Kulhari, who met him in the hospital, denied Mr Gupta's allegation, saying the photographs didn't confirm the acts of policemen torching a motorbike.
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Mr Gupta told PTI that his camera was snatched and crushed by policemen and that a group of 20 policemen including PAC personnel beat him up brutally with their lathis.
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At least a dozen companies of PAC, Rapid Action Force and police forces from neighbouring districts have been deployed in Varanasi to maintain peace.
Police claimed that all shops were open and the situation was normal with security personnel deployed at each and every intersection, besides mobile patrolling.
However, locals at Godowlia claimed that the situation of panic still prevailed and some shops remained closed on Tuesday.
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