The Uttar Pradesh Police lodged a complaint against 158 people on Sunday for allegedly misbehaving with Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel during a road show in Pratapgarh district, reported PTI. A senior police officer said the FIR was registered at Raniganj Police Station against local leader Vinod Dubey, who may contest the state Assembly election next year as an independent candidate, and his 157 supporters.
The reports were registered after Dubey's supporters clashed with Apna Dal workers during the party's procession on Sunday afternoon. After the incident, Apna Dal workers, led by Patel, blocked the Raebareli-Varanasi Highway. While the minister left after police lodged a complaint against Dubey and others, her supporters continued the protest till Monday morning.
Patel, however, has blamed the ruling Samajwadi Party for the chaos. She claimed the incident was part of a bigger conspiracy to disrupt her procession. "I was not provided adequate security, despite complaining about it. Both the district magistrate and superintendent of police didn't reach the spot immediately,” she said.
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