PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Kichha
Police arrested one and detained 30 others on Wednesday after the supporters of sitting Kichha MLA Tilak Raj Behed and a five time former MLA Rajesh Shukla allegedly clashed at the strong room and counting centre for the Kichha and Sirauli Kalan municipal elections in Nayi Mandi on Tuesday.
According to the police, the incident took place at around 4:30 PM on September 22, when Behed and Shukla reached the strong room with their supporters and the candidates of their respective parties. It was then that the supporters of the two leaders got involved in a face to face scuffle during which an individual who accompanied Shukla allegedly slapped Behed. As things became tense, police used batons to control the situation and separate the two groups. To keep the two groups apart, police took Shukla and his supporters to the SIIDCUL police Chowki in Pantnagar, while Behed and his supporters were taken to Kichha Kotwali.
Police arrested one person identified as Dheeraj Kumar for allegedly pushing and manhandling the sitting MLA. He was arrested under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and is being produced before a court, police said.
Police have also detained 30 people for their alleged involvement in disturbing public order. The Udham Singh Nagar senior superintendent of police Ajay Ganpati said that anyone attempting to disturb peace and law and order in the district would face strict legal action. “Action will be taken against those found responsible on the basis of available evidence,” he added.
Ex-MLA’s supporters demand action against Cong leaders
KICHHA: The supporters of former MLA Rajesh Shukla staged a protest in Kichha on Wednesday, demanding action against the Congress municipal chairperson candidate Rajesh Pratap Singh over an alleged assault during a scuffle at the election counting centre. The Bharatiya Janata Party workers gathered at Shukla’s office and marched to Pandit Deendayal Chowk carrying effigies of Congress MLA Tilak Raj Behed and Rajesh Pratap Singh. They torched the Congress leaders in effigies before reaching the Kichha police station.
The protesters alleged that Singh had manhandled Shukla during a dispute outside the strong room at the New Mandi premises on Tuesday. They demanded a fair investigation and sought examination of CCTV footage and other available evidence. The protesters warned that they would intensify their agitation if police failed to take action against those found responsible.
