Uma Bharti stages dharna at police station

Chhatarpur, MP, Oct 31: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bhartiya Jan Shakti President Uma Bharti today staged a dharna at the Bada-Malehra police station in Chhatarpur district demanding the removal of Superintendent of Police Chanchal Shekhar and action against the villagers who attacked her convoy at Serora village last night.

''The attack on my convoy was pre-planned at the behest of the Chief Minister'', she said while staging the sit-in at the verandah of the police station with about 800 of her supporters gathered at the ground in front.

Sagar range Inspector General of Police Swarn Singh said the situation was under control. Action was being taken on the complaints of both sides, he said.

At the fag end of the polling for the Assembly byelection in Malehra, the convoy of Ms Bharti, who is also the election agent of her party candidate Ms Rekha Yadav, was attacked by the supporters of BJP leader Shankar Pratap Singh, who was slapped by Ms Bharti's PSO.

Her driver was injured and few vehicles were damaged in the attack.

Immediately after the attack, Ms Bharti sat on dharna at the village itself, but was later persuaded to shift to Malehra well after midnight.

Malehra seat fell vacant following the resignation by Ms Bharti and about 60 per cent polling was recorded there in the bypoll.

UNI