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Amethi self-immolation case: Congress, AIMIM leaders among 4 named in conspiracy
Earlier on Friday evening, a woman (50) and her daughter (28) set themselves ablaze in front of gate number 3 of Vidhan Bhawan.
Congress’s Anup Patel and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) Qadeer Khan were among the four persons booked for hatching a criminal conspiracy and instigating two women from Amethi to attempt self-immolation in front of Vidhan Bhawan here on Friday evening, Sujeet Pandey, commissioner of police (CP), Lucknow, said a day after the incident occurred amid growing criticism of worsening law and order in the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh (UP) government.
Asma and her son Sultan, who were the relatives of the two victims, have also been booked, Pandey added.
Qadeer Khan, AIMIM’s Amethi district president, and Asma were arrested, he added.
Efforts were on to arrest the remaining two accused after a first information report (FIR) was registered against them at Hazratganj police station in this connection, Pandey said.
Sultan is also an AIMIM member.
Earlier on Friday evening, a woman (50) and her daughter (28) set themselves ablaze in front of gate number 3 of Vidhan Bhawan.
They suffered serious burn injuries and are undergoing treatment at Lucknow’s Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil Hospital.
Doctors said the mother and the daughter suffered over 80% and 30% burn injuries, respectively.
Pandey said the mother and the daughter had a dispute over a drain with four locals at their native place in Jaamo, Amethi district, on May 9.
He said the warring parties lodged first information reports (FIRs) against each other over the dispute.
The two women believed that the police were partial towards their rivals and did not initiate any action against them, Pandey said.
He also said the duo initially approached AIMIM’s Khan for help in the case and later met Congress’s Patel at the party office in Lucknow through Asma and Sultan on July 4.
Pandey said the two women had revealed in their statements to the police that the AIMIM and the Congress leaders suggested that they attempt self-immolation in front of Vidhan Bhawan in a bid to draw the attention of those in the higher echelons of power to their grievances.
Pandey said they were brought to Lucknow by Asma and Sultan and coached about how to set themselves ablaze.
Sultan had informed some electronic media journalists to cover the women’s self-immolation bid, the Lucknow top cop added. He said the accused wanted to highlight the matter to gain political mileage.
Congress spokesman Patel, one of the accused in the case, said: “Two women had met me to highlight their problem some time ago. That day I had helped them connect with media persons in a bid to make them narrate their ordeal. I had not been in any touch with them since then. The accusations levelled at me by UP Police are baseless and concocted. I didn’t invite any media person to cover the unfortunate incident on Friday. The government and the state administration are trying to hide their incompetence by blaming the opposition.”
“For over a year, several Congress leaders and cadres have been framed. The law and order situation in UP is in shambles. Congress leaders are being tortured for questioning the government. They are being framed and imprisoned,” he said in a press statement.
“I am a soldier of Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and state chief (Ajay Kumar) Lalluji. Truth and honesty are my virtues. All charges against me are fake and fabricated. I pray for the speedy recovery of the victims,” he said.
Congress MLC (member of legislative council), Deepak Singh said: “The government is attempting to frame a Congress spokesman to hide its sins amid the worsening law and order situation in the state.”
Khyati Garg, superintendent of police (SP), Amethi, also told media persons that four policemen were suspended for dereliction of their duties.
The station house officer (SHO) of Jaamo police station, a beat in-charge sub-inspector (S-I) and two constables have been suspended for negligence in the case related to the victims.
The SP said a departmental probe has been initiated against the four suspended police personnel in the matter.
