Nainital: Tension in Ramnagar as property dispute over Congress office escalates
Police resorted to baton charge on Monday evening to remove the Congress workers and leaders sitting outside the property
Dehradun: The Nainital Police registered cross FIRs on Monday after a dispute escalated between Congress party and a trader over possession of a building, housing the Congress office, on Ranikhet Road in Ramnagar town.

Police resorted to baton charge on Monday evening to remove the Congress workers and leaders sitting outside the property. The Congress claimed some of their workers sustained injuries in the lathicharge.
On complaint of trader Neeraj Aggarwal, police booked former MLA and Congress leader Ranjeet Singh Rawat and seven others under sections 190 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191 (2) (rioting), 191 (3) (Rioting- Being armed with deadly weapon), 131 (Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 308 (4) (Putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Aggarwal in his complaint claimed, “On May 12, some leaders and workers from Congress carrying sharp edged weapons came to my office, started abusing me, and threatened to give them ₹2 lakh per month extortion. They attacked us with an intention to kill....and threatened to kill me.”
On the complaint of former MLA Ranjeet Rawat, police booked unidentified people under sections 329 (4) (house- trespass), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of BNS.
Senior sub inspector of Ramnagar police station Mohammad Yunus said, “We have registered the FIRs on complaint from both parties. The situation is under control.”
He denied the police resorting to baton charge to remove Congress workers and leaders on Monday evening.
According to police, trouble began late Sunday night when Agarwal, the building’s owner, allegedly locked the main gate of the office. In response, Rawat and his supporters arrived at the scene on Monday morning to protest. A heated confrontation ensued between the two parties, drawing in law enforcement.
As the situation worsened, scuffles broke out between the police and Congress workers, including Rawat himself. Police reportedly detained four people, leading to further protests. Senior Congress leaders, including state president Karan Mahra, leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya, and deputy leader of Opposition Bhuvan Kapri, quickly reached the spot in solidarity, accusing the government of silencing opposition voices.
Rawat alleged that “goons of the building owner broke into the office at midnight” and accused the police of inaction. “We are protesting peacefully. This is an attack on democracy,” he said.
Mahra, Arya, and other Congress leaders accused the administration of acting under political pressure, vowing to continue the sit-in protest until the office was returned to the party.
Meanwhile, Tehsildar Manisha Markana clarified that the issue is a land and tenancy dispute, and legal proceedings would be based on complaints from both sides.
BJP state spokesperson Vikas Bhagat defended the trader’s actions, accusing Rawat of illegally occupying the premises since 2017. “The office was meant to be temporary for elections but was never vacated,” he said, blaming Congress for backing unlawful encroachments and political hooliganism.