Hundreds of SP workers led by party youth wing president Akhilesh Yadav tried to force their way to the Assembly for holding a dharna when they were stopped by a strong contingent of police near the SP office this morning.

The SP activists were protesting against Tuesday night's incident when several party leaders, including state unit president Shivpal Singh Yadav, were allegedly manhandled.

As the SP workers tried to break the barricade, the police fired tear gas shells and water canons to disperse them.

Yadav and other leaders later sat on a dharna on Vikramaditya Marg near the party office in protest against the police action.

SP workers ransacked shops and burnt vehicles in Etawah, Mainpuri, Meerut, Aligarh, Faizabad and Bareilly while holding demonstrations.

Unconfirmed reports said three students were allegedly hit by bullets when police opened fire to disperse the agitating students in the SP chief's native village Saifai.

One of them later succumbed to his injuries.