A day after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav asked party workers to reach Rampur to protest against police action against party MLA Abdullah Azam, authorities beefed up security across the district and sealed its borders, said officials.
The police stopped and briefly detained dozens of party leaders and hundreds of workers either trying to enter Rampur or proceeding to the district from other neighbouring areas with party chief Yadav terming the police action "undemocratic".
"The BJP government adopted an undemocratic way to prevent peaceful protest by the SP. The citizen's rights were suppressed, which is condemnable. Abdullah was detained as soon as he came out of his house in Rampur," said Akhilesh yadav.
He alleged that SP leaders including MP ST Hasan, former MP Dharmendra Yadav, and MLA Haji Iqram Qureishi and others were arrested so that they could not reach Rampur.
"A conspiracy is underway to defame our MP Azam Khan by framing him in fake cases and ruin Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The charge of book theft is childish and cheap," he said.
"The situation in Rampur remains peaceful. Those who tried to reach there were prevented and detained. All those detained were later released," IG Law and Order Praveen Kumar told reporters here.
In Sambhal, over 100 SP workers including SP MLA Onkar Singh Yadav, former MLA Ashish Yadav and others, were stopped from proceeding to Rampur and were sent to the police lines.
The SP leaders seeking to proceed to Rampur from other neighbouring districts, including Bareilly, Pilibhit, Amroha, Binjore and Moradabad, were stopped midway and detained.
Rampur SP Ajay Pal Sharma earlier said over 800 police personnel were deployed across the district to maintain law and order situation.
"We have made adequate arrangements to ensure peace in the city. Borders of the district have been sealed. As prohibitory orders are already in place due to Kanwar Yatra and Eid-ul-Azha, assembly of five or more people will not be allowed," Rampur District Magistrate A K Singh told reporters.
SP leader Azam Khan's MLA son was detained on Wednesday for allegedly obstructing officials during a raid at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. He was later released on personal bond.
Police said in the raid which began on Tuesday, over 2,500 rare, stolen books were recovered from the university, founded by Azam Khan.
Investigation in the case began on June 16 after Zubair Khan, principal of Oriental College in Rampur, earlier known as Madarsa Aliya, lodged a complaint with police alleging that over 9,000 books were stolen and taken to the library in Jauhar University. Madrasa Aliya is about 250 years old.
As news of Abdullah Azam's detention reached the state capital, SP leaders led by their state president Naresh Uttam gathered at the party office here and marched towards Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Anandiben Patel, seeking her intervention in the matter.
The SP chief had directed party workers in Bareilly, Pilibhit, Sambhal, Amroha, Moradabad and Bijore to reach Rampur on Thursday morning to protest against police action against Abdullah Azam and "fake" cases registered against his father Azam Khan.
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