BJP MP 'assaults' cops, 3 officers among injured; Akhilesh's bulldozer jibe

BJP MP from Kannauj Subrata Pathak and 51 others have been booked for allegedly assaulting police personnel, leaving three sub-inspectors and four constables injured.

On the complaint of injured Sub Inspector (SI) Hakim Singh, an FIR has been lodged against 10 named, including Pathak, and 42 others, Station House Officer (SHO), Kotwali police station, Ajay Awasthi said.

The injured also include Sub Inspectors Hemant Kumar, Tarun Singh and constables Rohit Lavania, Subhash Kumar and Neeraj Kumar. They all have been sent to the district hospital for medical examination, he said.

In his complaint, the police outpost incharge of Mandi Samiti Hakim Singh said on Friday night he received instruction to help the Unnao police which had come here to conduct a raid in connection with a case of kidnapping. The latter held five people from a gym.

When the five were being taken to the police outpost, a youth reached there and demanded that all of them be released immediately. They also tried to free themselves when the Unnao police tried taking them along. In the meantime, one of them called BJP leader Subrata Pathak and about 15 minutes later, the MP reached the spot with his security personnel Sachet Pandey, the SI said.

As soon as he got down from the car, the MP asked about the in charge and on being indicated towards Hakim Singh, he caught hold of his collar, the victim said, adding that when colleagues tried to save him, more than 40 people attacked them and tore their uniforms as well.

When the police from other stations reached the spot, the MP ran away with his supporters, the complainant added. Efforts are on to reach out to the MP, said SHO Awasthi.

FIR has been lodged under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (mischief with deadly weapon), 332 (obstructing public servant), 353 (obstructing public servant in the performance of his duty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 427 (causing damage to the amount of Rs 50 or more) and 225 (attempt to forcible release of offender or other person from police custody) of the Indian Penal Code and under section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932, he added.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Akhilesh Yadav, in a Tweet, posted that the public wants to know when will Pathak be arrested.

"Today's latest news: Policemen filed FIR against Kannauj's BJP MP, Subrata Pathak…public is asking when will he be arrested? Should the police save their lives by hiding behind the bulldozers to avoid these BJP men?” the Samajwadi Party chief asked.