BJP leaders detained in Moradabad

Priest Bir Nath at the temple complex in Moradabad district's Nayagaon which witnessed tension over removal of loudspeakers by the district administration. Photo: Rajiv Bhatt

A few BJP leaders were on Saturday detained in the party’s bid to hold State-wide protests seeking registration of an FIR against a senior Moradabad police officer for allegedly assaulting party workers in Kanth.

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai, who was going to Kanth to lodge an FIR against SSP Moradabad, was stopped, the District Magistrate Deepak Agrawal said, adding, he received a copy of an FIR from him.

Rampur MP Nepal Singh, Moradabad MP Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh and Sambhal MP Satyapal Singh Saini were stopped for a while at Hapur, Moradabad Divisional Commissioner, Shiv Shankar Singh said.

“We will implement law and order and detainees will be released by evening,” Mr. Singh said.

Aonla MP Dharmendra Kashyap was detained in Rampur, he said.

BJP MLAs Lokendra (Noorpur) and Suresh Rana (Shamli) reached the Kanth police station where their FIR was received, Mr. Singh said.

BJP leader Ajay Agrawal was detained at Ghaziabad, police said.

Authorities had on Friday imposed Section 144 in Moradabad to ward off any possible communal tension in the area as VHP and BJP had planned to stage protests in Kanth town.

Clashes had erupted between BJP workers and the police in Kanth on July 4 over holding of a mahapanchayat called by the party to protest removal of a loudspeaker from a temple in Akbarpur village, which led to communal tension in the area.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rita Bahuguna along with 20 party supporters were detained and sent to police lines for assembling outside the party office as the party had also announced its plan to hold a ‘peace march’ in Kanth on Saturday.

Congress leaders detained in Ghaziabad

Meanwhile, Congress leaders Madhusudan Mistry and Nagma were on Saturday detained in Ghaziabad when they were on their way to Moradabad to hold a “peace march”.

Mr. Mistry, Ms. Nagma and other prominent leaders including Naseeb Pathan were detained by the police at U.P. Gate for violation of prohibitory orders, city Superintendent of Police Shivhari Mirna said.

A police team has been deployed at BJP MLA Sangeet Som’s Kaushambi Apartment, he said.

“Police has been deployed at UP gate. No car is being allowed to enter U.P. from Delhi without checking. SP, circle officer, Inspector and constables have fully taken control of U.P. gate,” Mr. Mirna said.