BJP lawmakers take law in their own hands, party red faced as Opposition fires salvos

Lucknow: A BJP legislator allegedly assaulted a senior official in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district after the latter seized two overloaded sand trucks, which allegedly belonged to a sand mafia.

In another incident, a passenger travelling in the Bhopal bound Vande Bharat train was allegedly thrashed by the supporters of a BJP MLA at Jhansi railway station after the passenger had an altercation with the lawmaker over a seat.

According to the sources, Prakash Dwivedi, who was an MLA from Banda sadar constituency, slapped sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Nareni, Amit Shukla after the latter ordered seizure of two overloaded sand trucks and got them parked at a police out-post on Monday night.

Dwivedi called Shukla and asked him to release the trucks but he refused. Allegedly enraged by the refusal, Dwivedi reached the police out-post with over a dozen supporters and slapped Shukla. His supporters also hit the SDM with sticks. A cop, who tried to save the official, was also assaulted.

An FIR was registered in connection with the incident, officials said.

Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) termed the assault as ‘goondagardi’ of the BJP MLA and demanded strict action in the matter, accusing the lawmaker of having connection with the ‘sand mafia '.

In another incident, a BJP MLA from Babina in Jhansi found himself under scanner after his supporters allegedly thrashed a passenger travelling by Vande Bharat train at Jhansi railway station a couple of days back.

Sources said that the MLA Rajibv Paricha and his family members were travelling by the same train from Delhi to Jhansi, when the lawmaker had an altercation with a fellow passenger over a seat.

As soon as the train reached Jhansi, around half a dozen supporters of the MLA barged into the coach and assaulted the passenger.

BJP sources here said that the party had taken a serious note of the matter and a notice was served to the MLA seeking his reply within seven days.