Ghosi bypoll: SP candidate’s son booked for threatening UP cop

Mau, Sep 5 (IANS) Sujit Singh, former block chief and son of Samajwadi Party candidate in the Ghosi bypoll in Uttar Pradesh, Sudhakar Singh, has been booked for threatening a police constable, obstructing government work and making casteist remarks against the outpost in-charge who belongs to the Scheduled Caste.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Mau Avinash Pandey said a constable from Jafarpur outpost had gone to Jafarpur nagar panchayat on the order of officials to assist officials of electricity and other departments to check power pilferage and water supply to houses using installing submersible pumps at a number of places a few days ago.

The constable on duty said he was threatened by Sujit, who also made casteist remarks against the police outpost in--charge.

On the complaint of the constable on Saturday, Sujit has been booked under section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 507 (criminal intimidation), 153a (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race and place of birth) and 332 (voluntary harming to public servant to deter him from doing his duty) of IPC, said police, adding that further investigation in this matter was in progress.

Jafarpur outpost policemen were on Sujit’s target after they swung into action following foot patrolling led by Mau district magistrate Arun Kumar and the SP in the poll-bound Kopaganj area.

SP Avinash Pandey said that while leading patrolling in localities of the area, large-scale power pilferage through illegal connections was noticed.

“Many submersible pumps had been installed in the localities and water was being supplied to nearby houses through pipes connected to those pumps,” he said, adding, these pumps were also being operated through illegal connections.

After returning from inspection, the district magistrate had asked electricity department and nagar panchayat officials to take necessary action against illegal power consumption and water supplies, following which, a team of officials of departments concerned visited the area along with a constable of Jafarpur outpost Yogesh Kumar Yadav and initiated action.

Sujit opposed the official action and threatened the constable, saying he would teach a lesson to the outpost in-charge. He also made casteist remarks against the policeman, said police.

Jafarpur is a Muslim dominated town of Mau district, where SP has its stronghold.

The voting for the Gosi Assembly seat is underway on Tuesday and counting will take place on September 8.