Noida: FIRs against SP leaders for protest against inflation, violence during panchayat polls

NOIDA: Scores of leaders of Samajwadi Party (SP) have been booked for violation of section 144 of the CrPC for the protest against rising inflation and violence witnessed in Uttar Pradesh during panchayat and block head polls.
The workers were on their way to three tehsils of GB Nagar and the city magistrate's office when they were detained and booked for lockdown violation.
In the Dadri police station, FIR has been lodged against eight SP leaders of Noida unit.
The Sector 20 police has also lodged an FIR against 32 leaders and workers of the local SP unit who were detained before their proposed march.
An FIR has been lodged by Dadri police against eight leaders of SP’s local unit under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 270 (whoever malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and violation of restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC.
The leaders booked include Shyam Singh Bhati, Indra pradhan. Fakirchand Nagar, Kuldeep Bhati, , Vikas Sharma, Deepak Bhati, Rajkumar Bhati and 100 unknown person.
ACP-2 (Greater Noida) Nitin Singh told TOI that the FIR was lodged since the protestors violating Covid protocol by not maintaining social distancing and since they violated restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC which has been imposed in the district.
The protest was a part of the SP’s state-wide protest against rising inflation, unemployment and the violence witnessed across the state during the panchayat head and block head polls.
Shyam Singh Bhati told TOI that it was murder of democracy.
“While BJP is carrying out rallies and events, a few workers of the opposition cannot even get together and hold a protest to raise the genuine issues concerning the public,” he said.
Protests were witnessed at all the three tehsils of GBNagar including Dadri, Sadar and Jewar.
SP leader Sunil Chaudhary along with some other leaders were arrested and taken to the police lines in Surajpur by Sector 20 police.
Around 32 leaders including former SP candidate for Noida MLA position Sunil Chaudhary have been booked for violation of restrictions under section 144 and sections 188, 269, 270 and section 3 of the epidemic Act.
“The leaders were taken to the police lines from where they were bailed out,” an officer said.
GBNagar SP (rural) president Reshpal Awana said that BJP resorted to muscle and money power in the panchayat and block head polls.
“The poor, farmers and unemployed persons are upset in the BJP rule. The poor are broken due to the rising prices of petrol and diesel and the government has completely failed in bringing the inflation under control,” he said.
In Chi-4 sector, at the house of Vikas Pradhan- the younger brother of deceased SP leader Jatan Pradhan, scores of SP workers had gathered but they were put under house arrest.
“Around 150 workers who had gathered for going to the Sadar tehsil for the protest were put under house arrest,” said Krishan Nagar who was also part of the protest.