Rahul, Priyanka detained on way to Hathras, taken back to Delhi
Noida: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained on Thursday by the Uttar Pradesh police after they were stopped on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida while walking towards Hathras to meet the rape victim's family.
Sources said they were taken away in a police jeep and kept in a guest house for sometime after which they were released. They are now headed back towards Delhi escorted by the UP police, they said.
Rahul Gandhi also fell down in the scuffle after police tried to stop him and his supporters from proceeding on the Yamuna Expressway near the Jewar toll plaza. Pictures of the incident were shared by the party. The Congress had said the Gandhis were arrested.
"Shri Rahul Gandhi, Smt Priyanka Gandhi and senior Congress leaders have been arrested by the UP police," the Congress said on Twitter, using the hashtag "JusticeForIndiasDaughters".
Priyanka Gandhi also alleged that the police used lathis on the Congress workers and many of them were injured.
Rahul earlier questioned senior UP cops under which law was he being stopped as all he wanted was to walk alone towards Hathras to meet the rape victim's family.
"Can you tell me under which law can you stop me from marching towards Hathras," he asked the police personnel.
"I want to go alone to Hathras and on what basis can you arrest me," he added, to which the cops told him that he had violated Section 188 of the IPC of disobeying orders promulgated by the government during the pandemic.
Rahul also alleged that in India today only RSS people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can move around.
Earlier in the day, the Uttar Pradesh authorities imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits the assembly of more than four people in Hathras.
The restrictions were imposed ahead of Rahul and Priyanka's visit to the district on Thursday.
The media was also stopped from entering the victim's village, saying it will hamper the investigation in the case.
