BSP MLA booked for assaulting Dalits

Lucknow: A legislator of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which governs Uttar Pradesh and claims to champion Dalits' welfare, and 20 of his supporters have been booked for arson and violence against Dalits in Sant Kabir Nagar district, the police said on Saturday.

A criminal case has been slapped against Tabish Khan, who along with his supporters allegedly assaulted members of a Dalit family over a land dispute in Rajediha village in Sant Kabir Nagar, some 250 km from Lucknow.

"The complainant Hariram, a resident of Rajediha village, has alleged that Khan and his supporters, who were armed with guns and sticks, barged into his house and assaulted him and his family members," Additional Superintendent of Police Arvind Bhushan Pandey told IANS on phone.

"The victim approached us Friday evening and showed us the injury marks. He told police that the legislator and his supporters assaulted him and family members over a land dispute, and also set fire to his belongings before leaving the place," he added.

According to police, Khan, who has also been booked under the SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes) Act, is absconding along with his supporters.

Khan is the legislator from Khesrala assembly constituency of Sant Kabir Nagar.

Raids are being carried out to nab the legislator and his aides, police said.

The legislator has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Insult intended to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation).

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