UP: BJP workers lathi-charged during protest over PM security breach, SHO sent to police lines

Agroup of BJP workers who held a protest in Tilhar here against the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit were allegedly lathi-charged by police, following which the incharge of the local police station was sent to police lines.

An investigation in the matter is underway, police officials said.

BJP’s Tilhar Nagar president Rajiv Rathore said dozens of party workers took out a torch procession on Thursday night to protest the lapse in the prime minister’s security during his visit to Punjab.

As the procession reached Martyrs Kutir, police personnel arrived there and started beating the BJP workers after enquiring about the sloganeering, he alleged.

BJP workers were chased and thrashed by the police and it was only when all of them gathered and staged a sit-in outside the local police station that top officers reached the spot, Rathore claimed.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sanjeev Bajpai said he reached the spot as soon as he received information about the incident.

After listening to both sides, the incharge of Tilhar police station, Ravindra Singh, was removed. He has been sent to police lines and the matter is being investigated, he said.

BJP MLA from Tilhar Roshan Lal Verma condemned the alleged police action.