3 more BJP leaders held in Gorakhpur

New Delhi: Gorakhpur city is still tense after violent protests against BJP MP Yogi Adityanath’s arrest on Sunday night.

Despite the tension, three more BJP leaders - who were on their way to the town - were arrested on Wednesday from the Gorakhpur-bound Vaishali Express as the curfew has still not been relaxed by the authorities.

The three - former union minister Santosh Gangwar and party leaders Dharmendra Deo and Satyaprakash Ahluwalia - were going to Gorakhpur as spokespersons of the the BJP Central leadership to take stock of the situation.

The new SSP of Gorakhpur, S K Bhagat made it clear that Adityanath would not be released till the situation became normal.

He has warned people against violence and said that any elements who tried to create trouble in the town would be severely dealt with.

He also added that more than 2,000 men of Rapid Action Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and other paramilitary forces have been deployed in the troubled areas.

Additional District Magistrate (Gorakhpur City) P K Agarwal was quoted by PTI as saying that arrangements have been made for supply of essential food items in curfew-bound area where the situation would be reviewed by the authorities.

Curfew was imposed in Gorakhnagar area of the town after police lathicharged hundreds of Adityanath’s supporters. Three other places in the city, Rajghat, Kotwali and Tiwaripur, are already under curfew since January 27.

Adityanath and 150 supporters were arrested for trying to visit the areas under curfew, Inspector General of Police (Gorakhpur) V K Verma told PTI. They have been charged with breach of peace.

Meanwhile, an indefinite bandh called by BJP, its allies and certain Hindu organisations in Gorakhpur and in adjoining Basti division, affected normal life with shops and business establishments remaining closed for the second consecutive day and public transport remaining suspended for the fourth day.

(With inputs from PTI)