By IANS
Lucknow : Employees of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) protesting the proposed privatisation clashed with the police here Tuesday, leading to exchange of fire. But nobody was injured.
While the situation was brought under control, tension continued to prevail as employees swore to oppose the Mayawati government’s plans.
The police stopped the protesting employees from proceeding towards the state assembly complex where they wanted to stage a demonstration. A clash ensued after some protestors threw stones at policemen.
“The police were compelled to fire shots in the air to quell the violence. However, there was retaliatory firing from the other side, following which we had to use greater force to disperse the mob,” Lucknow Senior Superintendent of Police Akhil Kumar told IANS.
“No one was injured in the clash,” he said.
The employees have been opposing the government’s decision to end the UPSRTC’s monopoly on certain routes that were to be shortly thrown open to private operators as part of a long-term privatisation plan.
Plans were afoot to eventually hand over the management and operations of the corporation to the private sector.