SP MP Iqra Hasan protests in Saharanpur over arrest of party leaders; Akhilesh attacks BJP govt

A Samajwadi Party MP, Iqra Hasan, has begun a sit-in at a police station in Kairana, demanding the release of party leaders arrested on charges of breach of peace.

Samajwadi Party MP from Kairana, Iqra Hasan, on Tuesday started a sit-in at the Sadar Bazar Police Station here, demanding the release of party leaders arrested on charges of breach of peace.

Several party leaders and workers gathered at the police station in support of the MP, prompting heavy police deployment in the area.

Hasan alleged that people approaching the police with grievances were not being heard and were instead being ''unnecessarily arrested and sent to jail''.

According to local police, former state minister and SP leader Mangeram Kashyap, along with four others, was arrested earlier in the day under charges related to breach of peace.

On receiving information about the arrests, Hasan rushed to the Sadar Bazar police station and sat on a dharna, demanding the immediate release of the arrested leaders.

''Either arrest me as well or release our people,'' the MP said during the protest. Police said a heated argument also took place between Hasan and senior officers, including SP (City) Vyom Bindal and ASP Manoj Yadav.

Earlier in the day, Hasan had accompanied an elderly woman from Jasala village to meet DIG Abhishek Singh in connection with the alleged murder of the woman's son.

The elderly woman sought a fair probe into the case, while Hasan alleged that although the DIG heard her out, he refused to accept the victim's demands.

The MP claimed that the DIG left his office during the meeting, following which the elderly woman became emotional and walked out of the office premises.

Hasan said she later moved to the parking area outside the DIG office to prepare another application when a large police force arrived there, alleging obstruction of traffic.

According to Hasan, she and her associates were taken in her own vehicle to the women's police station at Police Lines, where she was detained for around 10 minutes before being released.

The MP alleged that no traffic disruption had taken place and claimed her vehicle was parked within the designated white line area. She said she had video footage of the incident.

Police, however, detained Kashyap and four others under preventive sections relating to breach of peace.

Hasan said she was on her way towards Sarsawa when she received information about the arrests, after which she immediately returned to the Sadar Bazar police station and began the protest along with her supporters.

Reacting to the incident, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav posted on X, saying, ''When someone is taken into custody just for raising their voice for justice, that very moment is the Kalyug.''.

''What is the crime of the Hon'ble MP from the Samajwadi Party -- merely that she was helping that mother who has lost her son, and who is forced to face rejection at every door in search of justice under the heartless and cruel BJP regime?.

''Even BJP supporters will feel ashamed of this and condemn this tyranny and oppression,'' the former UP CM said, adding that ''PDA will no longer tolerate it, it will speak out,'' he said.

Late in the evening, the dharna continued at the police station premises amid the presence of a large number of SP workers and police personnel.