On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj was engulfed in turmoil. Police vehicles were vandalized, private cars set ablaze, and roads turned into arenas of chaos with stones and sticks flying through the air. The Bhim Army and supporters of Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad were primarily blamed for the mayhem, although Chandrashekhar clarified that the violent individuals were not from his party. The Azad Samaj Party members, he stated, were peacefully gathered at the Circuit House, restrained by the police.
Source: aajtak
The sequence of events led to Chandrashekhar, Bhim Army's chief, intending to meet with families in Lohanda village, Kaushambi, who were victims of alleged crimes, before proceeding to Isaota village in Prayagraj's Karchhana, where a person named Devshankar was reportedly burned alive on April 13.
Upon reaching the Circuit House in Prayagraj to meet two Dalit families, Chandrashekhar was halted by the local police citing security threats. Once word spread about his detainment and barred movement, his supporters mobilized en masse. Hundreds of Bhim Army followers took to the streets, causing unrest.
Source: aajtak
While the police engaged in negotiations, Chandrashekhar remained defiant within the Circuit House. Meanwhile, Bhim Army activists in Karchhana tehsil, upon receiving news of the situation, blocked the Bhadevra market route on Karchhana-Kohdar road. When police arrived with the Dial-112 vehicle to clear the blockade, they were met with violence. The crowd began stone-pelting, overturning police vehicles, and committing further acts of vandalism.
As the situation spiraled out of control, additional police forces were deployed. Despite efforts to manage the crowd, protestors attacked more vehicles with stones, leaving several damaged and setting bicycles on fire. This wild scene continued for several hours until the evening when police regained control.
Read more - Prayagraj Unrest: Police Response... 50 Arrested, Over 40 Motorcycles Seized, NSA Action Against Rioters
Currently, following the Karchhana incident, peace has returned to the area. A significant police presence remains, and actions against the perpetrators have commenced. Nearly 50 individuals are under arrest, with many more identified. The crackdown continues, using videos and photos for evidence, and those involved in vandalism and arson will face action under Gangster and NSA laws.
Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar Azad expressed his intent to visit Kaushambi and Karchhana but was stopped under the pretext of law and order concerns. The police claimed he would be allowed later, but he was sent back. He emphasized that the agitators were not his supporters, who were quietly accompanying him at the Circuit House. Chandrashekhar has warned of a gherao of the Legislative Assembly and Chief Minister's office.
According to the Bhim Army Chief, identification of individuals in the crowd should be confirmed by police investigation. He criticized the media's bias for labeling anyone carrying a blue flag as his followers. If such biased interpretations persist, he warned of a future gherao of Lucknow's legislative assembly. Furthermore, a united platform is being considered to vocally raise issues concerning Dalits, backward classes, Muslims, farmers, and other marginalized groups.
