At least 19 people, including police officers, were killed in clashes in the northwest of India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The representative of police stated that the police tried to free the territory which was kept by squatters, followers of one of the religious groups, BBC Russian Service reported.

As a result, clashes between the police and illegal settlers began, sectarians threw stones at the officers, in reply the police used tear gas and firearms.

In publications on social media the followers of Swadhin Bharat Vidhik Satyagrah call themselves political and social revolutionaries.

Illegally occupying the land, they demanded cancellation of elections of the President and the Prime Minister, to reduce the price of diesel fuel and gasoline to one rupee for 60 and 40 liters, New Indian Express specified.