LCP, RJD members come to blows

UNRULY SCENE was witnessed here at district collectorate when activists of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and members of the Loktantrik Congress engaged in a scuffle with each other. After a heated exchange of words they came to blows.

Loktantrik Congress members beat up an RJD leader and raised slogans against national president of the RJD Union Minister for Railway Lalu Prasad Yadav.

However, police force deployed at the district Collectorate controlled the situation.

Members of Loktantril Congress staged a dharna today to express ire against skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and induction of objectionable text pertaining to deities in history books of the IGNOU. Around the same time, activists of RJD staged a dharna at the district magistrate office in support of their demands to put a ban on sale of illicit liquor.

Trouble began when members of Loktantrik Congress shouted slogans against Union Minister for Human Resources Arjun Singh and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Making a counter attack, RJD leader Virendra Verma shouted slogans against cabinet minister Harishanker Tiwari of Loktantrik Congress and this led to a conflict.

In a sharp reaction, members of the Loktantrik Congress became violent and attacked Verma. Police intervened and later RJD activists were forced to leave the dharna spot. They handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate to be forwarded to the Governor of UP. Members of state working committee of RJD Virendra Kumar Verma said illicit liquor trade was flourishing in convenience with police officials and demanded stringent action against those involved in the trade.