Dozens including Congress MLA arrested for involvement in violence in Kashi

VARANASI: Police arrested Congress MLA Ajay Rai from LBS International airport on Tuesday evening for his alleged involvement in Monday's violence.
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Police had already raided Ajay Rai's residence in Mahamandal Nagar area under Chetganj police station after midnight on Monday. But, the cops failed to get him as he had gone to Delhi to attend some party meeting. His return was scheduled on Tuesday evening.Before his flight landed at airport heavy police force cordoned the airport. On getting information regarding possibility of Rai's arrest hundreds of his supporters gathered in the vicinity of airport. But, the police arrested Rai, who had contested 2014 parliamentary poll against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Congress candidate, at apron of the airport and took him out from old terminal building. Later, he was taken to police lines.
According to SSP Akash Kulhari, police have lodged an FIR against 105 identified persons and over 1000 unidentified in Monday's violence, which led to clamping curfew on four police station areas for two hours. Apart from Rai, Swami Avimukteshwaranand, Mahant Balakdas of Patalpuri Mutt, Swami Santosh Das of Satua Baba Ashram, Swami Supriyananad, trader leader Ajit Singh, principal of Sanatan Dharm Inter College Harendra Rai, BJP leader Daya Shankar Mishra Dayalu, Tilakraj Mishra, Ambarish Bhola, Triloki Ram and Ajay Singh are among those 105 identified persons, who have been booked in this case so far.
They have been booked under sections 147, 148, 149, 332, 333, 353, 307, 435, 436, 427, 395 of IPC, ¾ of prevention of damage to public property act and 7 CLA. With the arrest of Rai the total number of arrested persons in Monday's violence crossed the mark of 50.
The violence broke out during Anyaya Pratikar Yatra, carried out in the city on the call of Swami Avimukteshwaranand of Vidya Mutt on Monday in protest against assaulting seers during Ganesh idol immersion row that took place on intervening night of September 22/23.