Claims about foolproof security for tomorrow's highly anticipated India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final fell flat as scores of agitators barged through the security cordon and staged a a violent protest right outside the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium Monday, even as the Pakistani team was present inside the venue.

The protesters, all contractual pharmacists, had gathered from various parts of Punjab and were demanding regularisation of their jobs.

What started as a group of people shouting slogans soon turned into a violent clash between them and the security personnel. Police had to resort to baton-charging to disperse the furious mob. Tear gas shells and water canons too were used to control the crowd.

Protesters also pelted stones at police and damaged many private and police vehicles that were parked near the stadium.

"Pharmacists had gathered outside the PCA stadium and they started raising anti-government slogans. When we appealed them to calm down, they started misbehaving with police. We had to use force to control them.

Now the situation is totally under our control," Mohali's Superintendent of Police (City) Harpreet Singh told IANS.

"I am myself present on the spot to supervise the operations. We have called additional police force to tackle any kind of emergency," he added. However, the protesters accused the police of high-handedness.

"Our protest was peaceful and we did not intend to disturb law and order situation. We had planned to just cross the road in front of the stadium. But police started beating us without any provocation. They cannot stop us like this and we would continue our protest," Amandeep Singh, general secretary of Punjab Pharmacists Association, told IANS.