A case has been filed under Sections 341, 353 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code against dismissed police constable and president of Non-Gazzetted Police Welfare Association Brijendra Yadav and six persons for breaching Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s security in Varanasi on Wednesday. The FIR was lodged at the Sarnath police station in Varanasi on Thursday.
The Station Officer has also been reverted.
The incident occurred when Mr. Yadav was returning to Police Lines after disbursing laptops to students. His cavalcade was stopped by about a dozen members of the association; some of whom even flung themselves before Mr. Yadav’s vehicle. Health and Family Welfare Minister Ahmed Hasan was in the car.
Reports said Mr. Brijendra Yadav managed to open the door of the Chief Minister’s vehicle to present him with a charter of demands before he was overpowered by security personnel.
The security breach and the accompanying drama lasted for barely two minutes, but it exposed the police’s preparedness.
State IG (Law and Order) Raj Kumar Vishwakarma told journalists that the members of the police welfare association were dismissed from service on charges of indulging in union activities. Condemning the incident, Mr. Vishwakarma said there was a proper forum for airing grievances; blocking the movement of vehicles was definitely not permitted. The revision petition of the dismissed policemen is pending before the IG (Zone), Varanasi.
The police welfare association was formed when the Bahujan Samaj Party was in power, and their demands reportedly were then supported by the Samajwadi Party, which was in the Opposition.
Mr. Brijendra Yadav and about a dozen policemen were dismissed from service under the BSP regime.
On Wednesday, they wanted to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister, which said the SP had failed to fulfil the promises it made during the election campaign.
