Followed by a clash between the villagers and supporters of union minister Sanjeev Baliyan during his visit to village Soram on Monday, a complaint has been lodged by a villager at Shahpur police station of district Muzaffarnagar against them.

Reportedly, a few villagers were injured in the clash between the villagers and supporters of Sanjeev Baliyan. The enraged villagers reached Shahpur police station of Muzzaffarnagar district to lodge an FIR against the minister and his supporters.

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Hundreds of villagers held a panchayat and gathered at the Shahpur police station. After several hours their complaint was accepted by the cops though the FIR is yet to be registered.

SSP of Muzaffarnagar Abhishek Yadav said, “We have accepted the complaint of the villagers and will take due action only after the investigation of the charges is done.”

In the complaint of villager Yogesh Kumar, union minister Sanjeev Baliyan has been named along with his 20-25 supporters who according to the complaint were responsible for the attack in which at least 5 villagers including Yogesh himself were injured.

The villagers were demanding the cops to lodge an FIR which, however, was not registered and only the complaint was accepted by the police.

Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan had gone to village Soram on Monday along with his supporters to attend ‘Tehervi'(post-death ritual). In a bid to oppose his visit to the village some villagers raised slogans “Kisan Exta Zindabad”. This was unacceptable to the minister’s supporters who started beating them and misbehaved with those who tried to intervene, said the complainant Yogesh, who had sustained an injury to his eyebrow.

After the minister left, the angry villagers held a panchayat and hundreds of residents of village Soram and neighbouring villages surrounded Shahpur police station demanding to register a case against Baliyan and his supporters.

Denying the charges, Baliyan said that he is not aware of the clash as he was attending the tehervi and was inside the house. Holding the RLD leaders responsible for the incident he charged them of conspiracy.

RLD’s district president of Muzaffarnagar Ajit Rathi said that the minister is trying to divert the matter by falsely blaming the RLD. Jayant Chaudhary also raised the issue on social media via Twitter.

Party supremo Ch Ajit Singh, however, also visited Soram on Tuesday to show solidarity with the villagers. Village Soram is very important from the perspective of Khap politics as it is a common platform of Khaps where all major decisions are taken.

On Sunday, people in village Bhainsawal of Shamli opposed the visit of union minister Baliyan, UP’s cabinet ministers Suresh Rana and Bhupendra Chaudhary, BJP MLA from Budhana constituency Umesh Malik and west UP president of BJP Mohit Beniwal. The BJP leaders and ministers had come to meet Khap Chaudharys (heads) most of whom refused to meet them. The government is trying to sensitise the farmers about three farm laws through khaps.

It may be noted that Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait who is also Chaudhary (head) of Baliyan Khap had told the villagers not to invite BJP leaders whether it is a celebration or mourning. In case anyone found doing so would face the punishment of giving a day’s meal to more than 100 people.