Lucknow court blast: Priyanka Vadra slams UP govt, alleges 'criminals dominate the state'

Reacting to reports of a bomb being hurled in a Lucknow court on Thursday, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Uttar Pradesh government citing deteriorating law and order situation in the state. She alleged that the criminals have a free run in Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, she contended that no individual was safe in any part of the state, including the capital city.  

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remarked, “The Uttar Pradesh government should clearly admit that it lied to the people for three years. In reality, the state is dominated by criminals. In the court in the capital, bomb attacks on lawyers are taking place. From the capital to the far-flung areas, no one is safe. What kind of situation is this?” 

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The bomb explosion

The explosion happened on the premises of the Wazirganj Civil Court premises at around 12.30 pm earlier in the day. A crude bomb was hurled towards the chamber of lawyer Sanjeev Lodhi. As per reports, one person has sustained major injuries while the injuries on two others are minor in nature. Incidentally, the location of the blast is near the Lucknow Collectorate and barely a kilometer away from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. The police also recovered three live crude bombs. Subsequently, the Delhi police beefed up security at all courts in the national capital. 

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'I demand immediate protection'

Lodhi, the joint secretary of the Lucknow Bar Association, held Jitu Yadav responsible for the attack. Yadav is the general secretary of the Lucknow Bar Association. Demanding protection from the police, he called for the arrest of the guilty individuals. Moreover, he urged the judiciary to crack down on anarchist elements in the court premises. 

Sanjeev Lodhi remarked, "My colleague named Jitu Yadav is behind this attack on me. I demand immediate protection (from the authorities) and arrest of the perpetrators. The district judge and the courts should crack down on such anarchist element in the court premises."  

Read: Bomb Blast At Lucknow Court: Target Lawyer Sanjeev Lodhi Accuses Jitu Yadav, Blames Admin

Bar Council Chairman reacts

Meanwhile, Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Mishra also reacted to the bomb explosion. Condemning the incident, he called upon the authorities to arrest the culprits as soon as possible. At this juncture, he highlighted the importance of enacting the Advocates Protection Act.  

Read: Crude Grenade Hurled At Lucknow Court, 3 Live Bombs Recovered: LIVE Updates