Bajrang Dal men force cops to release ‘drunk’ leader in Bhopal
BHOPAL: Bajrang Dal activists in Bhopal allegedly forced police on Friday night to let off their leader who was taken in for questioning for allegedly abusing police personnel in an inebriated state.
Activists of the right-wing organisation laid siege to Habibganj police in the heart of the Madhya Pradesh capital from around 11pm till 1am and walked out triumphantly with their leader, Kamlesh Thakur.
Siddharth Bahuguna, superintendent of police (Bhopal South) said, “Thakur misbehaved with police officials in a drunken state. He was taken to the police station to register his statement. Keeping basic human rights in mind, we allowed him to go. When our personnel later told us he had abused them and also created ruckus, we registered a case against him.”
Police booked Thakur on charges of assaulting public servants and preventing them from discharging their duty, and verbally abusing them. Police said Thakur was creating ruckus at a liquor shop in the 10 Number market area on Friday evening when a police team on patrol in the area tried to stop him. Thakur abused the cops and had a scuffle with them.
The Bajrang Dal, however, accused the police of lying. Bajrang Dal state convener Devi Singh Sondhiya told HT on Saturday, “Kamlesh Thakur is our active worker. Police targeted him maliciously because he raised voice against corruption.”
Sondhiya added, “On Friday night, a sub-in0spector and few constables were allegedly asking for money from some people at the liquor shop when Thakur opposed them. Police detained him... If he was in an intoxicated state, police should have conducted his medical examination.” Sondhiya said police registered the FIR to save their officials. “We will not be silent on this issue. We will take this issue to the higher-ups in the government,” he added.