UP: Three Congress workers arrested, over 400 people booked for alleged violence at Haj House

Ghaziabad: Three Congress workers were arrested and over 400 people were booked for allegedly resorting to violence while demanding opening of the Haj House in Ghaziabad for pilgrims.

SP (City) Aakash Tomar said an FIR has been lodged by officiating SHO Jitender Singh against 14 named and 400 unknown people under relevant sections of the IPC and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

Those arrested have been identified as Naseem Khan, Pooja Chaddha and Samir Ali.

A search has been launched to nab all remaining culprits, Tomar said.

Congress workers and members of the Muslim community on Monday held a protest, demanding that the Haj House in Ghaziabad be opened for the pilgrims.

They had blocked the GT Road near the Hindon river bridge. According to the police, the protesters hurled stones at their vehicles, when asked to vacate the place, resulting in injuries to a few constables.

The mob also allegedly misbehaved with a woman constable, they added.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Haj Samiti wrote to the District Magistrate that the Jal Nigam had constructed the Haj House and the building is yet to be handed over to the Haj Samiti.

The then UP chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, had inaugurated the facility in September last year. The multi-storey building, meant to serve as a transit-cum-facilitation centre for the Haj pilgrims, is caught up in litigation at the National Green Tribunal (NGT).