Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien and other party leaders were stopped by the police on Friday when they were on their way to Hathras to meet the family of the 19-year-old victim, who died after she was brutally assaulted a fortnight ago.
"A delegation of the Trinamool MPs that traveled about 200 km from Delhi has been stopped by UP Police from entering Hathras," said a statement by the party said, adding they "were traveling separately to express solidarity with the grieving family and convey their condolences."
Reportedly, a tiff broke out between the police and delegations. Also, a video has emerged from the spot which portrays Joint Magistrate Prem Prakash Meena manhandling and pushing Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien to the ground.
Among those who were prevented from proceeding towards Hathras included Trinamool MPs Derek O'Brien, Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Pratima Mondal, and ex-MP Mamata Thakur.
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"We are peacefully proceeding to Hathras to meet the family and pay our condolences. We are traveling individually and maintaining all protocols. We are not armed. Why are we stopped? What kind of jungle raj is this that elected MPs are prevented from meeting a grieving family? At this moment, we are just 1.5 km from the victim's home in Hathras," the statement said.
However, this incident comes just a day after UP Police had been rough on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Rahul Gandhi along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Congress workers were first stopped by police, and then they decided to march towards Hathras to meet the family of the rape victim.