Anger at President Bush swept through parts of India on Friday as protesters burned his effigy and carried posters of Osama bin Laden. Three people were killed in clashes, and 18 were injured.

While most Indians look favorably upon the United States, and though the protests have not been as large as expected, anti-Bush demonstrations have been held in various Indian cities by communists and Muslim groups during his visit.

Violence erupted in the city of Lucknow when dozens of armed Muslims tried to force Hindu shop owners to shut their stores to protest Bush's visit, said Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey. The two sides argued, exchanged blows, and finally shot at each other, killing a Muslim teenager, Pandey said.

Television stations showed shrieking people carrying the injured on fruit carts through narrow streets choked with protesters.

In the southern city of Hyderabad, demonstrators burned an effigy of Bush around the time that he arrived there.

Chanting "Bush hands off India" and "Bush go home," several hundred communist and Muslim demonstrators marched through the city, and shops in the Muslim-dominated Charminar neighborhood were closed in protest. Some 40 percent of the city's 7 million people are Muslim.

Later, some worshippers at a Charminar mosque threw rocks at police after Friday prayers. Officers surrounded the mosque with barbed wire and called on protesters to disperse peacefully. Two protesters and two policemen were slightly wounded, police said.

In Hyderabad, protesters waving red and black banners marched three kilometers (two miles) to a rally where they burned an effigy of Bush and conducted a mock funeral. Some carried posters of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

"We are protesting against George Bush because he is a warmonger. We are demanding the evacuation of American troops from Iraq," said B.V. Raghavulu, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

In Srinagar some 5,000 worshippers chanted anti-American slogans and burned effigies of Bush as they emerged from Friday prayers. The worshippers pelted police with stones and bricks.

Police used tear gas to disperse them and the street fighting left about a dozen protesters and policemen injured, said police officer Ali Mohammad.

HYDERABAD, India (Rantburg News Service): Muslim clerics and commies continued manufacturing anger at President Bush in an effort to disrupt his visit to India on Friday. Protesters burned his effigy and carried posters of Osama bin Laden. The clashes, as is traditional with Muslim festivities, claimed three lives. Violence erupted in the city of Lucknow when dozens of armed Muslim bully boyz tried to force Hindu shop owners to shut their stores, said Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey. The Hindoos, preferring their livelihood to indulging the latest Muslim temper tantrum, told them to piss off. A Muslim yoot hollered "Go fer yer guns, Mukkerjee!" whereupon Mukkerjee shot him through the brisket. Television stations showed shrieking, eye-rolling protesters, jumping up and down and carrying the injured on fruit carts through narrow streets choked with lunatics. In the southern city of Hyderabad, demonstrators burned an effigy of Bush around the time that he arrived there. "They did?" President Bush responded when asked about the burnings. "I didn't feel a thing. I suppose it gives them something to do, though, since it didn't look like they were the kind of people who have jobs." Chanting "Bush hands off India" and "Bush go home," several hundred communist and Muslim demonstrators tromped through the city. Shops in the Muslim-dominated Charminar neighborhood were closed in protest. Some 40 percent of the city's 7 million people are Muslim. Most of the rest are normal people. Later, some rioters at a Charminar mosque threw rocks at police after being whipped to a frenzy by their holy men at Friday prayers. Officers surrounded the mosque with barbed wire, much like caging crazed animals, and called on protesters to disperse peacefully. Two protesters and two policemen were slightly wounded, police said, which indicates they didn't. In Hyderabad, protesters waving red and black banners dutifully tromped three kilometers (two miles) to the usual rally where they burned an effigy of Bush and conducted a mock funeral. "I'm mock dead?" Bush asked rhetorically. "Hell, I don't even feel mock sick!" Some carried posters of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and Evil Bert. "We are protesting against George Bush because he is a warmonger. We are demanding the evacuation of American troops from Iraq," said B.V. Raghavulu, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In Srinagar some 5,000 worshippers chanted the usual anti-American slogans and burned effigies of Bush as they erupted from their dosage of Olde Tyme Religion at Friday prayers. The worshippers piously pelted police with stones and bricks. Police used holy tear gas to disperse them and the ritual street fighting left about a dozen protesters and policemen injured, said police officer Ali Mohammad.