DEHRADUN: High drama unfolded at Shankaracharya Chowk in Haridwar on Sunday after police stopped Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad and Khanpur MLA Umesh Kumar from proceeding to Tehri Garhwal to meet the family of Ketan Agarwal.
Agarwal's murder has sparked political outrage in Uttarakhand.
A heated exchange broke out between the two leaders and senior police officials after their convoy was intercepted. The situation soon escalated, during which Azad’s clothes were allegedly torn.
In protest, both leaders sat on a dharna on the road, accusing the district administration of preventing them from meeting the victim’s family.
Anticipating their march towards Tehri, the Haridwar police had been on alert since morning. A large contingent of local police and paramilitary personnel was deployed at Shankaracharya Chowk.
As soon as the convoy of Azad and Umesh Kumar reached the chowk, the police stopped the vehicles from moving ahead.
The two leaders stepped out and attempted to walk towards Tehri along with their supporters, but were blocked at the spot.
Senior officers, including SP City Abhay Singh and CO City Shishupal Singh Negi, tried to persuade them not to proceed further. However, the leaders insisted that they had every right to meet the bereaved family.
Azad alleged that police personnel misbehaved with him and used abusive language. He claimed the government was using the police to stop opposition voices. “Ketan was murdered brutally in Tehri. Despite that, his family continues to live in fear. I was going to meet them only after they requested me to come, but the police are not allowing us to move ahead,” Azad told reporters.
The Nagina MP said he would meet the family “at any cost”.
Khanpur MLA Umesh Kumar accused the administration of failing to ensure the safety of Ketan’s family. “After the Ketan murder case, the victim’s family faces a threat to their lives. The government and administration must take responsibility for their security. Our efforts will continue until the family gets justice,” he said.
Asked about the sit-in protest, Kumar said they would not leave until senior officials arrived and gave a clear assurance regarding the family’s protection.
Traffic movement at Shankaracharya Chowk was affected for a while due to the protest, causing inconvenience to commuters. Police officials continued talks with the leaders to defuse the situation.
Heavy security remains deployed in the area, with the administration closely monitoring developments.