LUCKNOW:
BJP MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath had a narrow escape on Sunday when his
motorcade was attacked by miscreants in Azamgargh.
One person was killed and
several were injured in the large-scale violence that followed. The MP, who is
also head of the Gorakshnath Peeth in Gorakhpur, had gone to Azamgarh to address
a public meeting against
terrorism.
Azamgarh DM Mayur
Maheshwari said, "The situation is brought under control and there is no need of
imposing curfew."
Twelve
persons were arrested in this connection, the DM
added.
Tension
grips Azamgarh
BJP MLA from
Ramkola in Gorakhpur district Atul Singh, who was in one the vehicles in the
MP's motorcade, told TOI that a fleet of over 100 vehicles was accompanying
Adityanath.
As the motorcade
entered barely one-km inside the Azamgarh district, firing and stone-pelting
started from a place of worship in Takia Paharpur, the BJP legislator said
adding that Rs 7 lakh was looted from the vehicle of BJP MLA from
Maniram.
Sources said
Adityanath's supporters retaliated by throwing stones, prompting the police to
open fire to bring the situation under
control.
Principal secretary,
home, Kunwar Fateh Bahadur and additional director general of police (law and
order) Brij Lal confirmed the death of one person, though they said it wasn't
immediately known whether the victim died due to skirmish between Adityanath's
supporters and attackers.
Brij
Lal said, "We are waiting for the postmortem report. Some people brought one to
the city hospital on a Bolero where doctors pronounced him dead upon
arrival."
Brij Lal said five
companies of PAC were deployed in the district. Varanasi zone IGP Praveen Singh
reached Azamgarh to monitor the situation.
The BJP MP returned to
Gorakhpur along with his supporters after addressing the rally, Lal
said.
BJP MLA from Gorakhpur Sadar
constituency RMD Agarwal sat on a dharna before the DM's office in Gorakhpur,
protesting the attack on Adityanath's motorcade. Security at the Gorakhnath
temple in Gorakhpur has been beefed
up.
The deceased was identified
as Maniullah (17), native of Gorakhpur, working at a poultry shop in Azamgarh.
The injured were identified as Mahanth Shiv Harsh Bharti (52), Brijesh (51),
Gyanendra (26) and Rehan (40). A member of Goraksha Samiti Munnar Yadav also
sustained serious injuries.