Bangalore, Jan 19 (UNI) Police fired four rounds in the air to disperse an angry group of people, who pelted stones at some shops and beat up a police official, on their way to attend a meeting to protest the hanging of deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, here today.

Additional Commissioner of Police Bipin Gopalakrishna said the incident occurred in the sensitive Bharatinagar area when groups of people proceeding to Shivajinagar Stadium to attend the meeting began throwing stones at some shops.

The mob started setting fire to tyres of parked vehicles and stoned a policeman on security duty. Police first resorted to lathi charge and then lobbed several rounds of tear gas shells. When it proved futile, they fired in the air to disperse the mob.

The situation was tense, but under control, police said.

The mob allegedly beat up ACP Thimme Gowda, while a dozen other policemen were hurt in stone throwing. The mob also set afire a 'Hoysala' police patrol vehicle.

Heavy police force had been deployed in most of the sensitive areas where shops and other business establishments had been asked to shut down by the police.

Meanwhile, speakers at the meeting, organised by former Union Minister and Congress leader C K Jaffer Shariff, condemned the killing of Saddam Hussain, branding it as an act against humanity.

The speakers included noted journalist M J Akbar, Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly N Dharam Singh, KPCC President Mallikarjuna Kharge and State Minister Iqbal Ansari.

UNI