Azamgarh police on Saturday arrested a village head and his son over a clash that took place allegedly over removing a BJP flag that was put up at a temple in Raunapar area of the district two days ago. Advertising Police said the incident occured when workers of the Samajwadi Party (SP) allegedly demanded that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers remove the party flag that was put up on a temple at Maukudubpur village. No one was injured in the clash over which village head Sarvesh (50) and his son Ashish (22) were arrested, they said. On Saturday, police registered an FIR against 13 named, including former Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abhay Narayan Patel, and 60 unidentified persons on a complaint by local resident Ambuj Gaud at Raunapar police station, said Dinesh Pathak, Station House Officer. A case was filed under IPC section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), Pathak said, adding that police also invoked violation of Model Code of Conduct against accused. SP workers did not file any complaint in this connection, police added. Advertising Shitala Prasad Pandey, Circle Officer, Sagrai (Azamgarh), said, “Maukudubpur village head Sarvesh and Ashish were arrested on Saturday under 151 CrPC (breach of peace) and later they were produced before a local court that released them on bail.” An investigation has begun and police are looking into allegations, he said. Dinesh Pathak said they were informed about the clash at Maukudubpur village on Friday evening. When a police team reached the spot, the dispute was resolved following the intervention by local people. “Ambuj Gaud’s complaint said that on Friday evening he was standing near the temple at Maukudubpur village along with a few other BJP workers when SP workers led by Abhay Narayan Patel reached there. SP workers asked them to remove party flag from the temple and go with them for canvassing for SP candidate. When they refused, the SP men entered into arguments and later attacked them. Ambuj said he ran to his house where the men followed and thrashed him inside the house,” said Pathak adding that no one was injured in the incident. “During preliminary investigation, we found that the village head and his son were involved in the crime. We booked them under section 151 of the CrPC and arrested them,” Pathak added. SP’s Azamgarh district president, Hawaldar Yadav, said, “SP workers were holding a party meeting at Maukudubpur village when a few youths carrying BJP flag arrived there and started raising slogans. Former MLA Abhay Narayan Patel and others present there requested them to leave the place so that the party meeting could be held peacefully. The men entered into arguments and created trouble… It is false allegation that we demanded removal of BJP flag from the temple and asked people to take part in canvassing for SP candidate. We will complain to senior officials, including SSP Azamgarh.” BJP’s Azamgarh district president Jaynath Singh said, “Residents of Maukudubpur village had put up BJP flags at their residences. Irked over it, SP workers Friday reached the village and started threatening local residents. They asked locals to remove BJP flags from their residences. We complained about it to the police and action was taken.”

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