Police book Jat leader in Rohtak for promoting enmity
Dadu, who was sitting on hunger strike since Jan 31, alleges manhandling by cops
ROHTAK: Police on Thursday booked a Jat leader and his associates for promoting enmity and public mischief.
The police said Rahul Dadu, who is leading a parallel protest under the banner of Jat Jagriti Sena (JJS) at Sector 6 here, was booked for spreading false rumours on social media and promoting caste-based enmity. However, his associates booked in the case were not named.
The police had on late Wednesday night picked up two out of five protesters sitting on hunger strike at the ongoing dharna of the JJS after their health deteriorated badly. Ram Singh, 65, and Raj Singh, 56, had been sitting on hunger strike since February 14, and had even stopped drinking water from February 20 to press for their demands, including withdrawal of cases against Jats registered during violent quota stir last year.
The two men had started vomiting blood but had refused to accept medical aid. “Based on the doctors’ recommendations, we had peacefully picked them up from the spot and admitted them to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, where they are being given adequate medical treatment,” a police spokesperson said.
However, soon after the incident, Jat protesters, including Dadu, sent audios and videos on WhatsApp claiming that the cops came in large number and manhandled them and vandalised their property. The police, denying claim that anyone was manhandled, booked Dadu under sections 153 A (promoting enmity), 505 (public mischief) and 188 (disobedience) of the Indian Penal Code.
“The messages claiming police abused and manhandled them are totally false. They even tried to incite the public on their false claims, taking cognisance of which we have booked them,” the police said.
Dadu, who has been sitting on hunger strike from January 31, on the other hand, maintained that he along with his partners was manhandled by cops.
“They abused us, pushed us, tore my clothes and even snatched mobile phones of our people who tried to record their actions. We did send videos on social media, but only asked for support of people. We have been holding peaceful dharnas, but made no inciting statements,” Dadu maintained.
The JJS members said that on Friday, they will organise a big protest that would bring an “earthquake”.