Congressional leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were detained by Uttar Pradesh police while on their way to meet the family of the victim of the Hathras gangrape.
The leaders were detained while walking towards their destination after their vehicles were stopped on the Yamuna Highway, citing the imposition of Section 144.
The 19-year-old victim died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday, 15 days after she was allegedly tortured and beaten by four upper-caste men in UP Hathras.
The convoy of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi en route to Hathras (Biplov Bhuyan / Hindustan Times)
After congressional leaders announced their decision to visit the victim’s family, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi urged the opposition not to increase tension through “political tourism”. However, he did not name any party. The state government was working to punish criminals for their “barbarism,” he added.
Priyanka Gandhi set out on foot to meet the family of the victim of the Hathras gangrape. (Hindustan)
Earlier in the day, Congressional workers protested in the Delhi Noida Delhi (DND) air corridor against gangrape. They blocked five lanes on the Delhi-Noida side of the migration route by ducking into the road.
“We demand the government of the president in Uttar Pradesh. We also demand security and protection for the victims’ relatives, as in the past in UP, there were cases in which the relatives of the rape victims were murdered. The government should also give decent compensation to the family, ”said UP Congress leader Badruddin Quraishi.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is held by the police. (Hindustan)
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said he will march only to Hathras in view of Section 144.
“I am standing here in peace. I want to go to Hathras alone. Section 144 speaks of public assembly. I will go alone to Hathras. What are you holding me about? Rahul Gandhi asked in Hindi to the police officers on the scene.
The former president of Congress alleged that the police pushed him to the ground and hit him with a lathi. (Hindustan)
The two leaders were arrested. However, Congress alleges that they were detained. The Uttar Pradesh Congress called for a state-wide protest against the police action in Gandhis.
Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi (Hindustan)
In one of the images of the incident, the leader of Congress is seen on the ground. Party workers and his security men quickly gathered to help him up.
Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka were detained by Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday near Yamuna Highway (Hindustan)
The general secretary of Congress, KC Venugopal, condemned the arrest of the leaders.
“The cowardly UP government arrested Shri @RahulGandhi and Smt @PriyankaGandhi for seeking justice and trying to meet the family of the Hathras victim. I call on all the workers of the PCC and @INCIndia to protest today against the arrest of Rahul ji, Priyanka ji and other party leaders, ”Congress Secretary General KC Venugopal tweeted.
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