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Himachal BJP chief, MLA booked for attempt to murder in stone-pelting incident
The section was added after about 10 people, including police personnel, were injured in stone pelting and head constable was injured with sharp edged weapon
A day after 100 protestors, including BJP state president Rajiv Bindal and Paonta Sahib MLA Sukhram Chaudhary, were booked for defying prohibitory orders and assembling in front of Majra police station in Himachal’s Sirmaur, the police have added Section 109 of the BNS (attempt to murder) against the protestors.
The section was added after about 10 people, including police personnel, were injured in stone pelting and head constable was injured with sharp edged weapon.
“Section of 109 BNS is added to the FIR registered on June 13, in which 10 people, including police personnel, were injured following an attack with sharp edged weapons and stone pelting,” said Sirmaur additional superintendent of police Yogesh Rolta. The section was added on statement of head constable Sandeep, who had sustained sharp edged weapon injury on the head by the protestors who were moving towards house of accused armed with sharp edged weapons, he said.
Atleast 10 people were injured in stone-pelting on Friday evening. The stone-pelting followed protests after a 19-year-old man from Kiratpur village eloped with an 18-year-old woman from different faith in a nearby village under Majra police station limits on June 4.
The girl’s family had lodged a complaint, but even after 10 days, no action was taken. Hindu organisations and local people have been protesting for the last few days, demanding strict action against the “abductor”. On Friday, they blocked the Nahan-Paonta highway at Majra, about 25 km from Nahan, for about an hour.
On Friday evening, as an angry crowd of protesters began moving towards the eloped man’s house, locals from the other side resorted to stone-pelting, which the protesters retaliated. Subsequently, police resorted to lathicharge to bring the situation under control.
A 36-hour dharna, led by Bindal in Majra area, ended after on Saturday after the man and woman were traced.
“Invoking attempt to murder section is politically motivated and is highly condemnable. People are being terrorized,” said Bindal addressing a press conference. He added, “Action be taken against those involved in kidnapping and forcible conversion.”
In a statement, BJP former state president and MP Suresh Kashyap said that the administration registering a case against BJP state president Dr Rajiv Bindal, MLA Sukhram Chaudhary, who were peacefully protesting against the kidnapping of a girl in Majra village of Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district, is highly condemnable. “This incident is a clear proof of increasing hooliganism and administrative repression during the Congress government in the state,” he said.
“The false case registered against BJP leaders and protesters should be withdrawn immediately,” said Kashyap.
