BJP-VHP activists ransack police station, alleging cops’ inaction in ‘love jihad’ case

A mob of BJP and VHP workers on Tuesday created ruckus at a police station here alleging police inaction in solving what they claimed the kidnapping of a girl involving "love jihad".

The activists ransacked the Kila police station and damaged its furniture demanding action against kidnappers despite the allegedly abducted girl saying in a viral video that she was an adult and had left her home with her boyfriend Bilal on her own.

The activists, however, insisted that the video was shot under pressure and demanded arrests of Bilal and his friends and recover the girl. City BJP MLA Arun Kumar and Bithri MLA Pappu Bhartaul too had reached the police station.

The BJP and VHP activists remained at the police station for over an hour after which the police had to use force to disperse the mob, said police.

"Taking note of the incident, the inspector of Kila police station has been sent to lines and the in-charge and two constables of the Malukpur police outposts were suspended,” said Bareilly’s Senior Superintendent of Police Rohit Singh Sajwan.

An FIR too has been lodged against five persons for ransacking the police station and damaging its property, said the SSP, adding more people, involved in creating ruckus at the police station would be booked after examining the CCTV footage of the police station. An FIR on the alleged abduction of the girl too was registered on October 17 and the case is being investigated, the SSP said. “A search is also on to recover the girl,” he added.