Dismissing the allegations in a statement, Lucknow police on Sunday said, "At the clock tower in Lucknow, during an illegal protest, some people tried to pitch a tent and they were denied permission. Some groups were distributing blankets in the park and many people, who were not even a part of the protest, came to take the blankets. We had to disperse the crowd from there. The blankets were seized after due process. Please do not spread rumours."
In visuals captured on mobile phones, policemen can be seen taking away blankets and boxes of what appeared to be food packets from the protest site on Saturday night amidst chaos.
The cops, some of them wearing helmets, were also seen taking away Styrofoam sheets meant to be spread on the ground for those who were to spend the night there.
A video shot on Saturday night, also showed a woman protester running after some cops as she yells at them and asks, "Why are you taking the blankets?"
A Sikh man who went there with food for the women and children said, "Some of the cops tried to stop us but others let us pass. This is basic humanity and so we are here."
About 50 women began the sit-in demonstration on Friday but the crowds swelled on Saturday and the protest became 'indefinite'. Women, children and senior citizens joined the protest and several organisations also came out in their support.
Large gatherings are banned in Lucknow after the police imposed prohibitory orders late on Saturday night.
( With inputs from IANS )