Mumbai police today added the charge of abduction against protesters who turned violent during Saturday's Azad Maidan rally, alleging that some of them even tried to "kidnap" an injured constable.

An injured constable P Sathe, attached with the State Reserve Police Force, was lifted by a group of protesters and carried away from the spot with the intent of abduction.

However, they dumped him outside Haj House building near CST Railway Station after realising that a police team was following them.

"The group abandoned him at the Haj house after spotting the police team chasing them in a bid to free the constable," a Crime Branch official said today.

Sathe, though hurt, was conscious and was rushed to a nearby hospital by his colleagues, he said.

"In the FIR, we have also included kidnapping charges as the intention of the group appeared to be abduction," he said.

According to the official, women constables who were molested during the scuffle had not come forward to lodge FIR against the rioters despite request by their seniors.

Two persons were killed and at least 52 others, including 44 policemen, were injured when a protest at Azad Maidan to condemn the Assam riots turned violent as the mob went on a rampage, torching vehicles and pelting stones, which forced the police to fire in the air and use batons to disperse them.

Police arrested 23 alleged rioters on Sunday on charges of murder, molestation and kidnapping.