Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister and NISHAD Party national president Sanjay Nishad, along with his party workers, were attacked by 20-25 unknown assailants while returning from a late-night wedding ceremony in Sant Kabir Nagar on Sunday night.

Supporters rushed him to the district hospital after Nishad’s nose started bleeding from the injury. Praveen Nishad, along with three party MLAs and supporters, also arrived at the district hospital, where they staged a sit-in protest, demanding action against the attackers.

Superintendent of Police Satyajit Gupta also arrived after being informed and took the complaint, assuring action in the matter.

Cabinet Minister Sanjay Nishad blamed members of the Samajwadi Party for the attack on him.

The incident occurred in Mohammadpur Kathar village of the Kotwali police station area of the city. According to Sanjay Nishad, he attended a wedding ceremony on Sunday night, where some individuals met his son, Member of Parliament Praveen Nishad, and used abusive language about the party.

“They became aggressive when we objected and beat me and my supporters. I have suffered injuries,” he said.

Police said that they were scanning the video footage of the wedding to identify the attackers.

The police registered a case on the complaint of the minister’s personal security officer Vinod Kumar Yadav against the accused village head Radheshyam Yadav, Jaiprakash Yadav alias Kavi, Durgvijay Yadav, PAC constable Abhishek Yadav, Surendra Yadav, Gajendra Yadav, Subhash Yadav, Durg Vijay Yadav and many other unknown people. Along with this, the police arrested four named accused.

After the incident, the cabinet minister sat on a dharna along with his son Praveen Nishad, MLA Sarwan Nishad and other party members.