Five arrested for attack at Joshi’s house

Five persons were arrested on Thursday on the charge of attacking UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s residence here after her alleged derogatory statement against Chief Minister Mayawati. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal said that police had registered an FIR after the attack on Bahuguna’s house in the high security area at Sarojini Naidu Marg,which is at a stone’s throw from the state secretariat,and five persons have been arrested.

The arrested were identified as Guddu Yadav,Shiv Kumar Singh,Inder Singh,Jamir Khan and Suberjit Kumar Singh,all residents of Lucknow. Asked if they were associated with any party,the ADG said “it was being investigated”. The Congress had alleged that the attack was “government-sponsored and was led by a BSP MLA”. The party lodged a written complaint against BSP workers including two senior party leaders for allegedly ransacking Joshi’s residence and setting it on fire. “We have lodged a complaint at Hussainganj police station against BSP MLA from Bikapur Jitendra Singh alias Babloo and Intizaar Ahmad Abdi and 150 unidentified party workers on various charges,” Congress general secretary Subodh Srivastava said.

However,police said no fresh FIR has been filed on the Congress’ complaint which names a BSP MLA. Lal said that any complaint filed by Congress or others will be included in the initital FIR. Former chief minister Ram Naresh Yadav alleged that no entry has been made in the General Diary by the police despite Congress’ complaint and said the party will seek the intervention of Governor T V Rajeswar.