Pratapgarh BJP MLA accuses SP of threatening to shoot him, assault

Pratapgarh BJP MLA Dheeraj Ojha on Wednesday accused Superintendent of Police (SP) Akash Tomar of assaulting him, tearing his clothes and threatening to shoot him while he was protesting against alleged voter fraud. Videos of the MLA levelling the allegations, which have been denied by the SP, have gone viral.

Ojha claimed that Tomar assaulted him during the protest outside the district magistrate’s (DM) home. Following the alleged incident, the MLA told reporters, “This matter has been going on for five months since the panchayat election has come. A person named Amir, and his wife want to contest against a goon. But the local administration does not want this. They don’t want anyone to contest against the goon, who wants to get elected unopposed. The administration deletes the name of the couple after it once appeared in the voter list. Why don’t you want him to vote in democracy… Why are you murdering democracy? The goon moves around with eight cars and eight guns. I am against the administration. I wrote a letter to the CM…They are not listening to the CM’s directions. Marijuana and alcohol are being sold here…My question is, why is Amir’s name was not on the voter list? Why was Umakant Dubey’s name in on the voter list.”

Ojha said he would protest till the couple’s name reappeared on the list.

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In a statement, Tomar said, “He [Ojha] was sitting in protest at the DM residence. When I told him not to misbehave, he levelled false allegations against me. The DM was present with me throughout the whole incident. The matter does not have anything to do with the police.”

In the videos shared widely on social media, the MLA can be seen shouting, “The SP has beaten me up. He tore my clothes. I have not made any mistake. He is a dangerous person. He has said he will shoot me.”

The legislator, who is seen without his shirt, then lay on a road in protest while his supporters raised slogans against the SP.

BJP district chief Hari Om Mishra told reporters that the dispute had been resolved. “I went and met the DM, and he has assured me that action will be taken against officials responsible for the anomalies in the voters’ list. The issue has been resolved,” he added.

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Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said ADG (Prayagraj) Prem Prakash had been asked to visit Pratapgarh on a fact-finding exercise.

“He will submit a report on the whole issue. We will ensure that the protocol regarding an elected representative is not violated,” Kumar added.