Former IPS Officer Who Announced Candidature Against Yogi Under House Arrest

In a video message, Thakur said that he was told that he can't leave due to security reasons.

Former Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who had earlier announced his candidature against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was put under a house arrest on Saturday, 21 August ahead of his planned visit to Gorakhpur.

In a video message, Thakur said that when he was preparing to leave, the Gomti Nagar police arrived and told him that he can't go ahead with the planned visit citing security reasons.

He further added that the police didn't let him go even when he asked them to provide him security instead of cancelling the visit.

"I sent a letter to them and they gave me a bizarre response. They said that I couldn't visit Gorakhpur and Faizabad due to the self immolation of a couple outside the Supreme Court. The woman had alleged rape by an MP and they said that it had led to anger amongst women against me and I can't go to ."

Amitabh Thakur, Former IPS Officer

Former IPS Amitabh Thakur on his house arrest ahead of his Gorakhpur visit. Says a strange reason was given to him by police which cited the immolation of couple outside SC lead to anguish in a section of society against him. pic.twitter.com/LJ0eaCRf3B

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 21, 2021

The case that Thakur was referring to pertains to an attempted suicide by a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old women outside the premises of Supreme Court on 16 August.

The man has succumbed to his injuries and the woman has sustained 85 percent burn injuries. The women had alleged rape by by Bahujan Samaj Party MP Atul Rai in 2019, who has been in judicial custody for last two years.

Thakur, who was given compulsory retirement following a decision taken by the Home Ministry in March, said that it seems like 'Yogi Adityanathji is scared because of my visit' and added that 'it is rather funny that a tall leader like him was petrified of me and my wife'.