Three Arrested Following Anupriya Patel's Ultimatum to Police Over Assault on Apna Dal S Worker

Three individuals were detained on Tuesday after Union Minister Anupriya Patel issued a two-hour ultimatum to the police. She warned that if they did not act against those responsible for attacking an Apna Dal S worker, she would escalate the issue to the chief minister. The Apna Dal S president also criticised the Uttar Pradesh police's zero-tolerance policy towards crime.

Apna Dal S sector president Ajay Patel and his wife Bindu were reportedly attacked on November 18 at their home in Kuraihi village, under the Gopura outpost of Vindhyachal police station. According to the family, the assailants also attempted to kidnap their daughter. The accused allegedly came to consume alcohol at the victims' house but were refused. Enraged, they returned intoxicated and assaulted Ajay Patel while trying to abduct his daughter.

Police Action and Arrests

After learning about the incident, Union Minister Patel visited Mandli hospital to meet her party worker and contacted the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP). She criticised the Vindhyachal police for their alleged negligence, accusing them of being more focused on facilitating drug trafficking than addressing crime. "Is this the zero-tolerance policy we claim to uphold?" she asked, pointing out the lack of immediate medical care, police response, or legal action in this case.

Following her stern warning, Vindhyachal police quickly registered a First Information Report (FIR) and arrested three of the seven accused. Inspector C.P. Pandey from Vindhyachal police station stated that the FIR was filed based on a widely circulated video. The charges include rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, house trespass with intent to harm, assault or wrongful restraint, and kidnapping.

Political Reactions

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the BJP government by posting on X: "When it came to her own party worker, the honourable minister had to ask where is the government that talks about zero tolerance." He suggested that she should have questioned the double-engine government instead. Yadav added that perhaps she forgot her own people are part of this government.

Yadav further commented on whether officials would bear the consequences of exposing Uttar Pradesh's police and medical systems or if the minister herself or her associates might become victims of this situation. He included a video of Minister Patel's statement with his post.

The incident has raised questions about law enforcement's commitment to tackling crime in Uttar Pradesh. The swift arrests following Minister Patel's intervention highlight potential gaps in initial police responses. As investigations continue, public attention remains focused on how authorities will handle such cases moving forward.