Women stage dharna in Azamgarh village, allege cops vandalised their houses

VARANASI Women of the families of 11 people accused of attacking a self-styled doctor and two constables in Palia village of Azamgarh on June 29, staged a dharna on Tuesday, alleging that the police vandalised their houses on the pretext of action

VARANASI Women of the families of 11 people accused of attacking a self-styled doctor and two constables in Palia village of Azamgarh on June 29, staged a dharna on Tuesday, alleging that the police vandalised their houses on the pretext of action.

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The police refuted the allegation, saying some unidentified people had vandalised their houses. All the 11 accused were absconding.

SP (Azamagarh) Sudhir Singh said village head Munna Paswan and his accomplices were reportedly passing obscene comments on girls passing by a street in Palia Bazar on June 29. Subsequently a self-styled doctor, Littan Biswas, started making a video of their act. Enraged over it, Munna and his accomplices assaulted Biswas, after which he fell unconscious.

Soon after, two constables, Vivek Tripathi and Mukhram Yadav, tried to rescue Biswas. Munna Paswan and his accomplices attacked the cops and Tripathi suffered head injuries. He was admitted to hospital and underwent a surgery.

Thereafter, Biswas and the cop filed separate complaints at the Raunapar police station. Two cases were registered against 11 villagers, including village head Munna Paswan, under relevant sections of the IPC on June 29 night, he added.

Meanwhile, women of the families of the accused alleged that police vandalised their houses and misbehaved with them.

One of them alleged that cops used indecent language during the raid at their houses in Palia village three days ago. The women staged dharna on Monday, demanding action against the police.

SP (Azamgarh) Sudhir Singh called the allegation baseless and said some unidentified people vandalised the houses of the village head and the other accused. In this case, an FIR was registered against unidentified assailants under relevant sections of the IPC.

The SP said to avoid arrest, the accused had instigated the women of their families to stage dharna.

TAKE ACTION AGAINST CULPRITS: PRIYANKA

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Monday tweeted, “There is news of UP Police attacking Dalit families in Palia village of Azamgarh, Raunapar. Several houses were damaged and a case was registered against hundreds of people.”

“This shows anti-Dalit mentality of government employees. Action should be taken against the culprits (who attacked the houses of dalits) immediately and compensation should be given to the victims,” read the tweet.

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad also announced that he would visit Palia village to seek justice for the families.