Nagpur clash: Congress demands arrest of corporator, BJP accuses cops, minister of bias

A day after Congress and BJP workers clashed in Jaripatka area of Nagpur, both parties on Monday blamed each other for the incident and also claimed the police was working under "political pressure".

Police had said on Sunday that the clash started after some women led by a Congress leader arrived at the office of BJP corporator Vicky Kukreja and accused him of ignoring issues of the area.

While Congress workers said Kukreja and his men misbehaved with the women, BJP leaders said their corporator's office was ransacked, leading to clashes and cross FIRs.

While Kukreja and his supporters were booked under IPC and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act provisions, Youth Congress functionary Baba Khan and others were charged with rioting and other offences.

On Monday, Pravin Datke, city unit chief of the BJP, which rules the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, demanded that charges against Kukreja and his supporters be dropped, adding that a political conspiracy was afoot.

Kukeja alleged the police was working under political pressure of the Maharashtra minister and local MLA Nitin Raut and claimed Khan and others had ransacked his office.

On the other hand, Nagpur Congress chief Vikas Thakre said Dalit women who had gone with Khan had been beaten up, while the AICC national coordinator (SC department) Anil Nagrare demanded that Kukreja be arrested immediately.

Khan, who was present at the Congress press conference, accused Kukreja of starting the fight.