Frenchman, ex-cop arrested for ‘unauthorised’ protest in Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur, Oct 13 : French national Jean Roger and retired Inspector General of Police S.R.

Darapuri have been arrested in connection with a protest outside the office of the Divisional Commissioner in Gorakhpur.

Roger was filming the protest and was found to be violating the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

When intercepted by the police, it was found that he did not have a valid permit to visit Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Darapuri was arrested for obstructing the work of a public servant and other violations, as the protest was unannounced and staged without permission from the authorities concerned.

Police said that the protesters were demanding one acre of land each for Dalits, backwards, Muslims and the poor landless families.

Kotwali circle officer Jagat Ram said that scores of people under the Ambedkar Manch had gathered outside the office of the divisional commissioner on Thursday.

“First of all, none of those belonging to Ambedkar Manch had taken any prior permission for the protest,” he said.

“When the security staff deployed on the premises of the commissioner asked them to go away, the crowd damaged the property and misbehaved.

According to the police, the situation spiralled out of control, and the leaders who had gathered for the protest did not control the crowd.

Instead, they got into a tussle with the security.

Later, senior police officers were informed, and a police force along with a PAC unit was called in to control the situation.

Gorakhpur city SP Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said that Jean Roger has been arrested under Section 14B of the Foreign Act 1946.

amita/ksk