Varanasi:
A Congress lawmaker, Ajay Rai, was among the 50 people arrested for Monday's violence during a protest march in Varanasi - the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Around 100 people have been named in the First Information report, or FIR.
Police said Mr Rai had taken part in the Prateekar rally, organised as a mark of solidarity against the action on protesters who were opposing the ban on immersion of Ganesha idols in Ganga.
Security forces are combing the affected areas since last night, when protesters went on a rampage, pelting stones and setting a fire at least four police vehicles, booths, nearly half-a-dozen motorcycles and some shops. They even hurled crude bombs; 25 people, including eight policemen, were injured in the violence. The police resorted to lathicharge and used tear gas to disperse the mob.
This morning, schools and colleges remained closed following a direction by top district officials. Traffic was thin and only a few tourists were visible in the Godowlia area, which was hit by violence.
Lawyers at the district court also boycotted work for the second day in protest against the lathicharge on sadhus and locals on the night of September 22, when they were staging a dharna at Godowlia crossing over idol immersion issue.
Godowlia crossing is the road leading to the ancient Dashashwamedh ghat, which is visited by a number of domestic and foreign tourists.