Section 144 imposed in Sonbhadra, Priyanka Gandhi sits on dharna over law and order situation in UP

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday sat on dharna after she was stopped from visiting Murtiya village in Ghorawal tehsil of Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district where ten people lost their lives and over 24 injured in clashes following a clash over a land dispute.

Priyanka was stopped from going to the village as the administration has imposed section 144 (prohibits an assembly of more than 4 people in an area) in the area as a precautionary measure.

“Just want to go and meet families of victims, I even said will take only 4 people with me. Yet the administration is not letting us go there. They should tell us why we are being stopped. We will continue to sit here peacefully,” Priyanka was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Ten persons were killed and over 24 injured in clashes over a land dispute in Sonbhadra district on Wednesday. According to reports, the incident took place when a dispute arose over a piece of land between the Gujjar and Gond communities.

Police has so far arrested 24 people in connection with the case for the mass murder and is conducting raids to nab all the accused. A case has been registered against 78 people in this connection, including 50 unidentified persons.

The village head Yagdutt, his brother and others were charged under the SC/ST Act on the plea of a local named Lallu Singh.

According to police, two weapons used in the carnage have also been recovered. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also directed Director General of Police O.P. Singh to keep a close watch on the case.

With PTI Inputs