Over 30 BJP men, including former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, were arrested today when they tried to visit Landhaura area of Roorkee where clashes had erupted recently leaving 32 people injured.
Thirty-eight BJP workers and leaders, including Koshiyari, were arrested and taken to the police lines when they insisted on visting the riot-hit area where a prohibitory order under section 144 is in force, Circle Officer, Sadar JP Juyal said.
They were later released on personal bail bonds furnished in a local court, Juyal added.
Koshiyari, who was accompanied by party workers and MLAs, including Sanjay Gupta and Yastishwaranand, said they wanted to visit the area to make an appeal to the people to maintain calm.
However, describing the attack on former Khanpur MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion's house in Landhaura as part of a conspiracy to eliminate him, Koshiyari demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
Meanwhile, violating the prohibitory orders, Champion's supporters burnt an effigy of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, accusing him of targeting those who had rebelled against his government.
Champion was among the nine Congress MLAs who had raised a banner of revolt against Rawat, plunging the state into a political crisis.
He has since joined the BJP.
Thirty-two people, including 12 police personnel, were injured on Wednesday as an alleged forcible evacuation of a scrap dealer's shop and desecration of a religious book kept there by an uncle of Champion and his men sparked tension between two communities in Landhaura area of Roorkee.
The groups clashed with each other and allegedly indulged in arson at the former MLA's residence, prompting the police to intervene.
Thirteen persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, including Champion's uncle Rajkumar Krishna Singh.
