Akhilesh held at airport,sparks stir on roads

Akhilesh was arrested after heated debate with policemen. “The state government is working in an autocratic manner. Is this the way to arrest…,” Akhilesh reportedly said. The SP leader,who is the son of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,was scheduled to visit his constituency Kannauj.

“Akhilesh was arrested and immediately sent to jail. The police did not allow him to speak to the media,” said party spokesperson Rajedndra Chowdhary. He alleged that the police misbehaved and manhandled Akhilesh while taking him into custody.

Special DGP (Law and Order) Brij Lal,meanwhile,termed his arrest as a preventive measure. He added that 434 party workers courted arrest across the state and added that four MPs and seven MLAs have also been arrested. Among those arrested included MP Reoti Raman Singh and former MPs Ramji Lal Suman (Allahabad),Balram Yadav (Azamgarh).

He said that on the first day of the 72-hour protest 2,327 SP workers had courted arrest and 358 on the second day. He also said that there were no reports of violence ,arson and damage to public property during the last three days.

But as soon as the news of Akhilesh’s arrest spread,SP workers gathered at Hazratganj crossing and tried to take out a protest march. But they had to face police lathicharge in which many SP workers were hurt. SP workers also burnt BSP flags at Darul Shafa.

Reports of police lathicharge on SP workers have also come from Ambedkar Nagar,Sant Kabir Nagar and Etah. In Kanpur,party supporters galvanised by Akhilesh’s arrest came out in large numbers to participate in the protest march. A group of SP workers locked the main gate of the district collectorate,whereas a party corporator and her supporters locked the gate of Irrigation Department office at Canal Road.

SP leaders claimed that more than 5,000 party members had been arrested during the three-day protest in Kanpur district alone,but district authorities put the number of arrested SP workers at less than 300.

SP leader Narendra Singh,accompanied with more than 50 supporters,locked the main gate of the district collectorate and stopped officials to enter the premises. On hearing the news,ADM (City) Shailendra Kumar Singh and Additional Superintendent of Police Kush Har Saurabh rushed to the collectorate gate. Singh and other SP activists were arrested and taken to Kanpur police line.

Corporator Anjala Verma and her supporters locked the channel gate of the Irrigation Department Office. She and her supporters were also arrested.

“In an effort to appease the state government,the district authorities are quoting the wrong figure about the number of arrests in the three-day protest,” said a local SP leader.

ADM (City) S K Singh,however,said : “Around 30 SP activists were arrested on the last day. He said that all arrested SP members would be released by Wednesday evening. WITH PTI INPUTS