67 held, 8 minors detained for violence after Chandrashekhar Azad stopped from visiting UP village

The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested 67 persons and detained eight minors in Prayagraj for vandalism after Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad was stopped from visiting Isota village, PTI reported on Monday.

On Sunday, police prevented Azad from going to the village to meet the family of Devishankar, a man who died of burn injuries on April 13. The police had cited security concerns. Devishankar's family has alleged that he was murdered.

According to the police, a group that had gathered at the village to meet the MP became agitated upon learning he would not be arriving. They started throwing stones and damaged two police vehicles.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Yamunapar) Vivek Chandra Yadav told PTI that action would be taken against the accused under the National Security Act and the Gangster Act. Compensation for damage to public property would also be recovered from the culprits as per legal provisions, the agency quoted him as saying.

Police are trying to ascertain the identity of other individuals involved in the incident using closed-circuit television footage, Yadav added.

The National Security Act allows the Centre or state government to order the detention of a person “with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the defence of India, the...

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