UP Cong prez, legislature party leader detained while protesting

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu, legislature party leader Aradhana Mishra and several party workers were detained here on Tuesday while protesting against the arrest of the party's minority cell chief. Lallu and Mishra, accompanied by a number of party workers, were stopped outside the party office in the Mall Avenue area when they were trying to move ahead to protest the arrest of UP Congress minority cell chief Shahnawaz Alam in connection with a case of violence during an anti-caa stir in December last year.

The protesters shouted slogans accusing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using police whenever he is "afraid". "Jab jab Yogi darta hain, police ko aagey karta hain," one slogan said. "Both Lallu and Mishra, along with a number of workers, were put on a bus by the police and taken to Eco Garden," a senior party leader said here.

"Alam was arrested from Hazratganj area on Monday night in connection with an FIR registered at the Hazratganj police station in connection with the violent protest during an anti-caa agitation on December 19 last year. Alam's location was found near the violence spot," a senior police official said.

Following the arrest, Lallu, Mishra and other party workers had reached the Hazratganj police station on Monday night. When some party workers started shouting slogans, police resorted to lathicharge. A Congress worker, identified as Shivam Tripathi, and others were injured.

Lallu said his party would start an agitation to protest Alam's arrest.