The top cops of the State were trying to shield the Bharatiya Janta Party MP, Raghav lakhan Pal, who not only violated government orders to take out Ambedkar Shobha Yatra on Thursday but later also led protesters to local district police chief’s house in Saharanpur and vandalized his camp office cum residence.
The local police just registered a case in the matter reportedly naming the MP but took no action against the trouble makers just as majority of them were from ruling Party. However, the UP IPS Officers Association reacted strongly and reportedly twitted that such incidents badly hit the morale of the cops and if Government would not react strongly then it would send wrong message amongst the men in Khakhi. “Saharanpur police had registered a case against BJP leader Vipin Ghasoti, and ten others named persons including BJP MP along with unknown persons in connection with violence at SSP Saharanpur’s residence and also for taking out procession which led to violence”, claimed director general of police’s office here on Friday evening. However, they claimed that no one was arrested in the matter and that further investigations are on. Interestingly, the local police had to register case against the saffron leaders just as one of the CCTV, installed in the shop near SSP’s residence captured how the BJP leaders took law in their land and ransacked SSP’s camp office cum residence.
SSP Saharanpur, luv Kumar, claimed that they got a case registered in connection with the violence and that action will be initiated against the trouble makers after identifying them with the help of CCTV footage. He claimed that heavy police is patrolling in the area to maintain peace. Sources said that though the local police registered a case as the excesses of BJP leader were recorded in camera but top administrative bosses sitting in the government directed the local administration to hush up the matter as it would only brought trouble for the saffron leaders and might led to further unrest in the district. So far none from the state government issued any statement in the matter.
It may be mentioned that in the first major communal violence after Yogi Adityanath took charge as chief minister, over a dozen persons including BJ MP Raghav lakhanpal Sharma his younger brother Rahul lakhanpal Sharma got injured in heavy stone pelting and arson at procession taken out in memory of Ambedkar in Dhudhali village of Janakpuri area of Saharanpur district on Thursday.
Surprisingly, provoked by some slogans of the members of procession, hundreds of youths belonging to other community attacked the policemen and pelted stones. later in protest for not allowed to take out procession further, the saffron leaders damaged at least two dozen vehicles including the official cars of district magistrate, Shafqat Kamal, SSP, luv Kumar, Commissioner Saharanpur, MP Agarwal and local police officers. Heavy police force was later rushed from the adjoining towns and all senior officers of the district including DIG Saharanpur Range JK Shahi reached the spot and had tough time to chase away the trouble makers. The agitated mob also ransacked the SSP Saharanpur’s residence and torched a motorcycle to register their ire.
It may be mentioned here that the local administration in Saharanpur had denied the permission after witnessing tension in the area but still the BJP leaders not only took it out but reportedly also used some language with further provoked the other community members. It may be also mentioned that for last 10-years, no permission was given for Shobha Yatra after witnessing communal violence.