Mathura: The police Sunday filed cases against 586 people for Saturday's violence here in which farmers, protesting the delay in payment of compensation for their land, pelted stones at security personnel and set vehicles ablaze. A dozen people were arrested Saturday night.
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Uttar Pradesh unit president Kunwar Pal Singh Nishad was also picked up Saturday night.
The cases have been registered again 86 identified people and 500 others.
Ruling Samajwadi Party leaders and activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) played the blame game over Saturday's mayhem on the Gokul Barrage that left dozens of people injured and two buses burnt.
The farmers had assembled after a Friday panchayat decided to stage a dharna on the bridge.
A police official said: "Traffic on both sides of the bridge was held up and the national highway to Delhi was choked with vehicles."
Violence broke out when police tried to disperse the farmers staging the sit-in along with BJYM activists.
The mob raised slogans against the police and the state government, and hurled stones at the security personnel.
Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Manzil Saini said four police officers were injured.
Police retaliated with a cane-charge and also fired blanks.
Incensed at this, the mob torched vehicles.
The farmers were also demanding compensation for damage to crops, which were submerged following a rise in the water level in the barrage.
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