Congress legislator booked for holding unauthorised meet

BHOPAL - A police complaint was lodged against Madhya Congress Congress legislator Umar Singhar for holding a roadside party meeting in Dhar district Thursday where at least eight people died and 18 were injured after a truck ploughed into the crowd, officials said.

The meeting was being held at Silkua village in Kukshi constituency, where bypolls will be held Feb 14 along with Sonkutch, when the truck ploughed into the gathering after its brakes failed.

“Restrictions under section 144 (of Criminal Procedure Code) was imposed in the entire constituency, so no meeting, rally or any political function could be held without permission. We have lodged an FIR under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code against Umar Singhar,” Dhar’s Collector B.M. Sharma said Saturday.

The Kukshi constituency seat fell vacant after the death of the leader of opposition Jamuna Devi. Singhar’s cousin Nisha Singhar is the Congress candidate for the seat.

However, Singhar has alleged that the truck belonged to a Bharatiya Janata Party activist, and the incident was planned to disturb the meeting.

“After I got information about the FIR, I went to the police station to offer myself for arrest, but they said there was no need for it, and asked me to surrender in court. I went there too, but officials said no action has been initiated by police. They want to arrest me on poll day so that our candidate is adversely affected,” he said.