Priyanka Gandhi was not strangulated, heckled: UP police cites area-in charge

Lucknow SSP Kalanidhi Naithini on Saturday said that area in-charge, Archana Singh has presented a report to Additional Superintendent in which she said that allegations of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra being strangulated and heckled were "untrue".

He said Singh has presented a report to Additional Superintendent of Police where she has mentioned that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's car "was not moving in the scheduled route rather a different route".

"Singh has also written that whatever rumours were doing rounds on social media of heckling and strangulating Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are untrue," Naithini added.

Priyanka had earlier today alleged that she was strangulated by a UP policewoman while on her way to meet the family of former IPS officer SR Darapuri and was also pushed due to which she fell down.

"UP police stopped me while I was going to meet the family of Darapuriji. A policewoman strangulated and manhandled me. They surrounded me while I was going on a party worker's two-wheeler, after which I walked to reach there," she said.

Gandhi said she was walking after she was stopped by police and they again stopped her. "I was walking (after the car was stopped). I was surrounded, strangulated. They pushed me..by a woman police person. I fell down. They stopped me and then I went on a scooter of a party worker," she said.

Gandhi was stopped when she was on her way to meet the family of Darapuri, a former IPS officer, who was arrested during anti-CAA protests.

Later, the Congress party condemned alleged manhandling of Priyanka and demanded dismissal of Yogi Adiyanath government.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Sushmita Dev said also sought action against UP police official who had "pushed" Gandhi which led to her falling down.

Dev said that Priyanka Gandhi did not violate the prohibitory orders but was repeatedly stopped by police first while she was travelling in a car and later while she was on a scooter.

"We condemn the physical violence on protesters and manhandling of Priyanka Gandhi. This government should be dismissed and there should be the President's rule in the state," she said.