Mumbai :  A protest by several Muslim organisations Saturday at the Azad Maidan here to condemn the alleged attacks on Muslims in Myanmar and the Assam riots turned violent with a group of unidentified persons torching media and police vans, police said.

The situation suddenly got out of control as policemen undertook a baton charge to disperse the mob. At least three OB vans were torched while police vans were also targeted by the angry mob.

A few buses were also attacked with stones. Police immediately cordoned off the area and the connecting streets and fired in air to disperse the crowd. According to police, the situation is now under control and top police officials have rushed to the spot. Led by Raza Academy, an organisation working to promote Islamic culture, the protest to condemn the attacks on Muslims in Myanmar was supported by other organisations like Sunni Jamaitul Ulma and Jamate Raza-e-Mustafa. They also condemned the riots and violence in Assam.

Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil appealed to the people to maintain law and order and assured them of appropriate investigations and steps against those guilty. Sporting black badges, thousands of members and activists of these organisations converged at the Azad Maidan and expressed concern over the massacre of Muslim community members.

Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, president of Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya, and Raza Academy chairman Saeed Noorie had earlier urged the central and state governments to intervene. Noorie said they have already written to the government of Myanmar, the United Nations, the International Human Rights Organisation, Organisation of Islamic Countries, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to highlight the massacre of Muslims in Myanmar.