Police jeep in MLA’s cavalcade hits two in Allahabad

LUCKNOW - A police jeep that was part of a ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator’s cavalcade hit a man and his son travelling on a scooter, leaving them critically injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad district. An angry mob resorted to arson and vandalism to protest the accident, police said Saturday.

The accident took place late Friday in the George Town area, some 200 km from Lucknow. The violent protests began Friday night and continued till early Saturday.

According to police, it started when the police jeep that was part of BSP legislator Praveen Patel’s cavalcade hit Bisanlal Rawat, who was on a scooter along with his son.

Locals turned violent when Patel, who represents Jhunsi seat in Allahabad, did not stop after the accident.

Venting their ire, the protesters torched the police jeep, damaged public property and fought pitched battles with the police.

Rawat and his son are being treated at a hospital, where their condition is stated to be serious.

“Additional security has been deployed in the area. The situation is now under control,” Superintendent of Police (City) S.S. Baghel told reporters Saturday in Allahabad.

It was only after the arrest of the jeep driver, that the protesters calmed down and the police were able to bring the situation under control.

“A case against unidentified men has also been registered for resorting to arson and damaging public property,” a police official said.