BJP MP booked for riot during UP procession

MEERUT

: BJP MP

Raghav Lakhanpal

and his supporters were booked on Friday for allegedly instigating communal violence during a procession in B R Ambedkar's tribute in

Saharanpur

, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday morning.

Several people were injured in the violence, including stone-pelting and exchange of fire, at

Doodhli

village after, according to sources, a group blocked the path of the procession with a tractor. Soon, BJP members, including Saharanpur MP Lakhanpal, reached the spot and demanded that

police

allow the procession to pass through the village, but the appeal was refused. Police said the administration had denied permission for the procession earlier as well.

Lakhanpal is accused of instigating the crowd to force its way into the village despite the refusal of permission. He has also been booked for, among other charges, "leading hundreds of men" during a subsequent attack on the house of Saharanpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Love Kumar.

Speaking to TOI, SSP Kumar said, "We have filed an FIR against 12 men each from both the communities, apart from Saharanpur MP Raghav Lakhanpal and former BJP MLA Rajiv Gumbar. The MP has been named in the FIR for leading and instigating crowds..." He added that 300 unidentified people had been booked for the violence as well.

Talking about the attack on his house, Kumar added: "Lakhanpal was present when furniture was being broken and

CCTV

cameras damaged by the mob. For that, 11 people have been booked under various sections of the IPC."

Lakhanpal in turn blamed police for "failing to protect victims of the riot". "The SSP was unable to sort out the dispute before it escalated, and then failed to provide security to people caught in the stone-pelting. Now he is trying to cover his tracks by finding fault with me," he alleged.

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