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Meerut/Muzaffarnagar: Continuing its crackdown on those allegedly involved in the Muzaffarnagar violence, Uttar Pradesh Police today arrested BJP legislator Sangeet Som and BSP MLA Noor Saleem Rana even as BJP President Rajnath Singh was prevented from touring the riot-hit district.
The arrests come a day after Uttar Pradesh Police took into custody BJP MLA Suresh Rana in Lucknow on charges of making provocative speech to incite riots in Muzaffarnagar.
"While BJP MLA Som was arrested in Merrut district, BSP legislator Noor Saleem Rana has been arrested from Muzaffarnagar," IG (law and order) R K Vishwakarma told PTI.
Som, accused of uploading a fake video that played a role in provoking communal tension in Muzaffarnagar and making inflammatory speeches, was arrested in Meerut.
SSP Deepak Kumar said that Som was arrested from Salava village in his constituency Sardhana amid slogan-shouting by his supporters.
Though police said they had arrested Som, the supporters of the legislator claimed he had surrendered before Sardhana police.
"I will abide by the law inspite of the fact that this is a false case against me. I will respond in court. They (SP, BSP) have instigated the riots....We (BJP MLAs) are being made soft targets," Som told reporters.
The IG said Noor Saleem, a BSP MLA from Charthawal, has been arrested in Muzaffarnagar in connection with the violence.
Earlier in the day, the BJP President said in Delhi that he was denied permission to visit riot-hit Muzaffarnagar.
"I wanted to meet the families of the victims and take stock of the situation. But the district administration denied permission saying my visit is not possible in the present circumstances," he said.
Accusing the Samajwadi Party of spreading riots in Uttar Pradesh whenever it comes to power in the state, Singh said a delegation would meet the President next week to give him an account of the prevailing situation in riot-hit areas.
