Violence: Seers will be held if concrete evidence, says police

Denying they were on "backfoot" on the issue of arresting any saint in connection with Monday's violence in the city, police said investigations are still on and further arrests would take place if "concrete evidence" was found against them
Police had arrested Congress MLA Ajay Rai along with 50 others in connection with the violence.
Violence had erupted on October 5 as thousands of people, including seers, along with some Congress leaders and those from BJP took out the march from Townhall to Dashashwamedh Ghat here to protest against police lathicharge during their dharna staged between September 21 and 23 for preventing them from immersing Ganesha idols in Ganga.

Swami Avimukteshwarananda led the protest march with thousands of people.
Varanasi SSP Akash Kulhari said,"We are not on a backfoot on the issue of arresting saints,"adding that "an investigation in the case is still undergoing and as soon as we collect concrete evidences further arrests would take place."
Kulhari was replying on the queries that had the police taken a backstep on the issue of arresting saints including Swami Avimukteshwarananda following stern warnings from BJP and Congress that if police would arrest any saints, then the partymen will court their arrest.

Sources said that police two days back had gone to Vidya Math at Kedargaht here to arrest Swami Avimukteshwarananda, who has been named in the FIR, but pressures from all political quarters forced the UP police to go on a backfoot.

Congress as well as BJP leaders in a press conference earlier have also warned the state government that if any saint or seer was arrested by police in connection with the violence then the partymen would launch an agitation and court their arrest.
Meanwhile, SSP Akash Kulhari who till yesterday said that posters of all the anti-social elements "involved" in the violence would be put up across the city have now withdrawn this decision following direction by Inspector General (Varanasi Zone) Amrendra Singh Sengar.
Kulhari told PTI that, "A permission for putting up posters across the city was not given and now they would put photographs of those anti-social elements (miscreants) involved in the violence in their respective police stations."

Sources said that IG Sengar refused to give permission for putting up posters stating that it will further escalate tension in the temple city.