Kasganj Update: Unauthorised Bike Rally and Sloganeering Led to Violence

Police deployed in Kasganj district. (Image TV Grab)

Lucknow: While the nation was celebrating Republic Day, tension prevailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj district on Friday when some unidentified people hurled stones at a motorcycle rally taken out by the RSS-affiliated students’ group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to commemorate Republic Day.

The communal clash led to the death of a 22-year-old identified as Chandan. The last rites of the victim were performed amid tight security on Saturday morning.

“One person died during arson, firing and stone pelting, while two others sustained injuries today. The deceased has been identified as Chandan (22). Curfew has been imposed in the city,” District Magistrate R P Singh said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed for peace and ordered the officials to deal sternly with people trying to create trouble.

Additional DG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, “The troublemakers are being identified, and stringent action will be initiated against them. The district administration has been able to control the situation so far, but additional forces will be called to ensure that the situation does not worsen,” he said.

On the reports of any involvement in the clashes, BJP’s Kasganj district chief, Purendra Pratap Singh Solanki, said that his party was not involved in the clash. He even claimed that the victim, Chandan Gupta, did not belong to the BJP or any of its affiliated organisations.