An FIR has been registered against Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 400-500 unidentified persons for the alleged violation of section 144 of CrPc and the Epidemic Diseases Act while visiting the village in Hathras district to meet the family of a gang rape-murder victim, IANS reported.
Azad and his supporters had visited the family on Sunday, 4 October during which they had heated exchanges with police deployed there.
According to the FIR, Police told Azad and his supporters that due to the Epidemic Diseases Act and implementation of Section 144 in the area, a large gathering might spread the disease, reported India Express.
The FIR also stated that the movement of ambulances and emergency services will also be impacted by the large gathering, but Bhim Army supporters sat on the roads defying police orders.
The case was registered under Sections 147 (rioting), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 188 (violation of public order), 269 (actions spreading disease) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act.
During his visit on Sunday, Bhim Army chief demanded ‘Y security’ for the victim’s family and said that otherwise, he will take them to his house.
“I demand ‘Y security’ for the family or I’ll take them to my house, they aren’t safe here. We want an inquiry to be done under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge.”Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhim Army Chief
Azad had come out in support of the family and had joined the protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday. During the protests, which were joined by hundreds of citizens and Opposition leaders, he had hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Uttar Pradesh administration for the lapses.
Earlier, he had also led another protest march outside Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, where the victim had succumbed to her injuries.
(With inputs from IANS and Indian Express)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)