UP Police refute Priyanka Gandhi's 'strangulation' claims, says 'car used unplanned route'

Rebutting Congress UP (East) General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's claims of strangulation by police, Lucknow SSP Kalanidhi Naithini on Saturday has said that the claims were false. Naithini revealed that the area in-charge - Dr Archana Singh had reported that Vadra's car was moving in an unscheduled route. Singh has further reported that the police had not 'heckled or strangulated' Vadra on her visit to a victim's house.

UP police refutes 'strangulation' claims

Priyanka Gandhi claims UP police assaulted her, travels on a scooty to meet protesters

Priyanka Vadra: 'UP Police attacked, choked me'

Earlier in the day, Vadra stated that after attending an anti-Citizenship Amendment Rally in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Police had stopped her from meeting the IPS officer Darapuri's family. She claimed that when she tried to go on foot, she was stopped and then attempted to travel on a scooter to the family's house.  She added that the police physically assaulted me by pulling her and choking her.

She said, "After my program, I was on my way to meet the family members of Former IPS officer SR Darapuri. The police stopped us mid-way and did not let me go. When I asked the reason, they just told me that they can't let me go ahead." Gandhi added, "I decided to get out of the car and walk. As soon as I started walking, the police physically assaulted me by pulling me and choking me. After this, I sat on a two-wheeler but they stopped that too."

BIG: Priyanka Vadra says Congress will fight UP polls alone, asks SP-BSP if they're scared

Anti-CAA protests in UP

Violence has been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh for the past weeks against the amended Citizenship Act which has led to the 21 deaths and many injured. Several videos of mobs of protestors attacking police have emerged, while the police too have resorted to lathi-charge, tear gas in several places of protests. UP police have detained  5,500 people and arrested 1100 to date. Several places like Meerut, Lucknow, Bijnor, Rampur, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Bareli, Lucknow witnessed rampant violence.

Yogi Adityanath slams protesting UP students: 'Main job is to raise anti-national slogans'

The beginning of violence in UP was witnessed on December 15 when Aligarh Muslim University students who were protesting were allegedly attacked by police using tear gas shells, rubber bullets, stun grenades, pellets, and stones. While police deny these claims, over 17 policemen and 60 students were injured as protestors began to vandalise public property and torch buses while pelting stones. Police have also booked 1000 Aligarh students in connection with the clashes. CM Yogi Adityanath has issued notice to 498 'vandals' and soon the police will identify the protesters and recover the losses.

Aligarh SSP: We used tear-gas in self defence against stone-pelting