Ghazipur violence: Prime accused cries foul, to surrender within one week

New Delhi: Nishad Party leader Arjun Kashyap, the main accused in Saturday's Ghazipur violence, blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the stone pelting incident that claimed the life of a police constable and injured two civilians.

Speaking to ANI, Kashyap said that if the law rules him accused he will surrender within one week.

"BJP is in power and they have done it. Their people are the main accused. Our people also might have retaliated later, but stones were not pelted on policemen. If as per law, I am the main accused, then I will surrender within one week," he said.

On December 29, police constable Suresh Vats was killed and two civilians were injured after some members of a protest rally, organised by Nishad Party demanding reservation, allegedly hurled stones on them near Naunera area in Ghazipur. The police constable was deployed at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place.

Kashyap also pressed for reservation for Nishad community and said, "Even Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath promised to fulfill the demands of Nishad community, but nothing has been done. There is no one in Lok-Sabha or Rajya Sabha to raise our demands. We will keep protesting till we get a reservation for our people. If we don't get our right, we will form our own government."

So far 19 people have been arrested in connection with the incident while an FIR against 32 people was registered on December 30.

"The death of Head Const. Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Gajipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police, OP Singh had tweeted on December 30.