Mahapanchayat to protest MLA’s arrest turns violent

Defying Section 144 of the CrPC, thousands assembled at Kheda on Sunday morning for the mahapanchayat turned violent after the security forces tried to prevent them from handing over a memorandum to the district magistrate against the arrest of BJP MLA Som. 

The crowd also demanded arrest of senior minister Azam Khan. Senior superintendent of police Deepak Kumar said that the agitators burned several police vehicles and resorted to heavy brickbatting. He also said some people opened fire on the police after which police retaliated by opening fire in the air. District Magistrate Randeep Rinwa appealed to the people to maintain peace. ‘No one has died in the clash with police. The situation is well under control,’ he said.

It was feared that the incident would lead to a repeat of Muzaffarnagar riots as police once again had failed to control the crowd despite heavy deployment of central forces. 

The district administration had earlier cancelled the mahapanchayat fearing violence.