Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi on the Yamuna Highway on Thursday.
Congress earlier in the day staged a dramatic protest that led to the arrest of the Gandhi brothers by UP police. The two leaders were detained in Greater Noida outside Delhi when they insisted on marching towards Hathras.
- News18.com New Delhi
- Last update: October 1, 2020 10:59 PM IST
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Uttar Pradesh police filed an FIR on Thursday against Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and 153 congressional workers for violating the Epidemic Diseases Act in their attempt to march to Hathras to reunite with the family of a gang rape victim who died in earlier this week. The complaint, filed at the Gautam Buddh Nagar police station, also names 50 unknown persons for not maintaining social distancing and not wearing masks.
The FIR was filed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (illegal or negligent spread of infection of any life-threatening disease), 270 (act malignant disease that can spread the infection of a life-threatening disease) and under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, police said. Some party members have also been booked for participating in a fight during which policewomen were injured while tearing the uniform of a deputy inspector, Gautam Buddh Nagar police said in a statement.
The Congress earlier in the day staged a dramatic protest, which led to the arrest of the Gandhi brothers by UP police. The two leaders were detained in Greater Noida outside Delhi when they insisted on marching towards Hathras.
The Gandhis and about 150 party workers, briefly detained for violating prohibition orders, were fired after they provided personal bonds, UP Police said. The tumult on the Yamuna Highway, during which the former president of Congress fell to the ground, was the largest of dispersed protests during the day over the death of the woman who, controversially, UP police suggested was not a victim of rape.
According to the police, the Gandhis were repeatedly informed about the CrPc Section 144 in force and a letter from the Hathras District Magistrate was also read to them, requesting that no political party come to the district as it could affect law and order. Despite all this, the leaders decided to go ahead with their march, police said.
Another FIR has been filed against UP Congress Leader Ajay Singh Lallu and 50 other workers for damaging a police vehicle, creating a riot, not allowing the police to do their job and misbehaving towards female police personnel.
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