Priyanka Gandhi briefly detained by UP police, now en route to meet kin of man who died in police custody

Hours after detaining Priyanka Gandhi, the Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday evening allowed her to meet the family members of a sanitation worker who died in police custody on Tuesday. The Lucknow police allowed her and Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu, senior leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam to visit the family.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday was detained while she was on her way to Agra to meet the kin of a man who died in police custody. A video shared by news agency ANI showed police officials and Congress workers involved in a commotion with the latter shouting chants against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. She was taken to Police Lines in Lucknow, Congress leaders familiar with the developments told HT.

The police officials did not allow the Congress leader earlier claiming that she does not have the permission to meet the kin of the deceased. Police also imposed Section 144 in the area. They cited Agra district magistrate’s orders which barred politicians from entering the area as a reason behind stopping Priyanka Gandhi at the Lucknow-Agra Expressway.

“The moment I try to visit any place other than the party office, then they try to stop me. It is also causing inconvenience to the public,” Priyanka Gandhi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. She also said she did not understand the fuss behind her visiting the family of the man. “They say I cannot go to Agra. They stop me wherever I go. Should I keep sitting in restaurants because it is politically convenient for them? I want to meet them, what is the big deal?,” Priyanka said.

Arun, a sanitation worker, was accused of stealing ₹25 lakh from the warehouse of the police station on Saturday night. Police officials say that Arun admitted to conducting the theft and they also recovered ₹15 lakh during the raid from his house before he suddenly fell ill and died. Six police personnel, including the station house officer, were suspended by the additional director general (ADG) of Agra zone, news agency PTI reported.

Arun belonged to the Valmiki community and the community leaders demanded a fair probe into the incident. The police said that appropriate action will be taken after the post-mortem report arrives.

(with inputs from Umesh Raghuvanshi)