Two days after the brief detention, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have reached DND while on their way to Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras.
After a brief halt at the site, officials allowed the duo to drive towards Hathras along with three others.
Hundreds of Congress workers gathered at the DND sloganeering in favour of their leaders.
Over 200 policemen were deployed at DND and the entry to Noida was blocked.
“They are violating the Section 144 of CrPC. We are deployed here to control the unlawful assembling of people. We are appealing for peace amid Covid-19 outbreak, in larger public interest they should disperse,” Noida ADCP Ranvijay Singh was quoted as saying by ANI.
Not only Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, but several other Congress leaders were also en route to Hathras who were later blocked at DND.
“Had a word with Rahul Gandhi who is waiting in his car to be allowed to move on. A solution is being negotiated that will permit a limited number through in order to end the impasse. The police action is inconveniencing a lot of citizens,” Shashi Tharoor said.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were arrested by the police on Thursday and taken to the police station while they were on their way to Hathras to meet the family of gang rape victim.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had alleged that he was pushed to the ground and lathi-charged, when he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were marching towards Hathras after their convoy was stopped at the highway between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on the act of police said, “We were stopped from going to Hathras. When we along with Rahul ji took foot-march then we were stopped repeatedly and were lathicharged. But our will power is strong and the lathis of the high and mighty cannot stop us.”
“I wish these lathis were for the protection of Dalit daughter of Hathras,” she said.
The Gandhis along with other Congress volunteers had sat on road after Uttar Pradesh police refused to let them continue to Hathras. Gandhis’ SUV had crossed the border, but their convoy was stopped at Greater Noida.
The 19-year-old girl who scummed to her injuries on Tuesday night and whose dead-of-night cremation has sparked nation wide protest.
The victim had suffered from multiple fracture, paralysis and had difficulties in breathing by a neck injury in the assault. The police have also said that there was a gash in her tongue as she had bitten it when then four assaulters tried to strangle her.
The incident has triggered public anger and the Yogi Adityanath led UP government has come under attack from the opposition over recent crimes against women.