Fresh violence in UP's Saharanpur, 1 killed, 12 injured; Yogi government blames Mayawati

A day after one person was shot dead and around 12 others injured after fresh clash erupted in Chandrapur village of Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dispatched a team of four senior officials to Saharanpur to control the situation and monitor the law and order situation. The team comprises ADG, Law and Order, Aditya Mishra, IG STF Amitabh Yash, DG Security Vijay Bhushan and is led by Home Secretary Mani Prasad Mishra.

The incident took place hours after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati visited riot-torn Shabbirpur village on Tuesday.

Clashes broke out in Chandrapur and neighbouring villages between the upper-caste men and the Dalits, who were returning from Mayawati's meeting. According to Saharanpur SSP Subhash Chandra Dubey, 24 people have been arrested and 3 FIRs were lodged

Mayawati visited Shabbirpur after Dalits, led by Bheem Army, stormed Jantar Mantar in Delhi and held a demonstration over anti-Dalit violence on May 21.

Dalit houses were burnt following tension with the upper-caste Thakur community in the first week of May. During her visit to the village, Mayawati met few Dalits to get a first hand information about their plight and later addressed party workers at the Ravidas temple. It was here that the Dalits were denied permission by the upper-caste people to install a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, which sparked off tension in the villages.

"I want to offer the BSP platform to all organisations who are working for the cause of Dalits to hold functions," said Mayawati in a bid to woo the Bheem Army.

Mayawati held the BJP-led UP government responsible for the violence and alleged that the ruling party had failed to stop its own brigade from attacking weaker sections. "BJP wants to destroy the inter-caste harmony, the district administration is responsible for the tension in the village," the BSP chief said.

Mayawati also alleged that CM Yogi Adityanath has misused official machinery to derail harmony in the state and said "there were no such incidents when I ruled the state".

The leader announced Rs 50,000 for the owners of the houses torched in the clashes and Rs 25,000 for the injured while accusing the BJP government of not helping the victims.

"The administration didn't give permission to land helicopter in the village. I had to come by road, which was a blessing as I met my people en route," said Mayawati alleging that the BJP government tried its best not to allow her to meet the villagers.

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