Locals of Alinagar ward of Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh held BSP MLA Babban Singh Chauhan (Right)and Kayamuddin Sheikh, husband of the local councillor (left)over power cuts issue on Sunday. (ANI Photo)

Villagers tie up UP MLA over power cuts

VARANASI: Incensed by the absence of power supply for the last four days, residents of Ward-13 of Mughalsarai Palika Parishad in Chandauli, held Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Babban Singh Chauhan hostage on Sunday. The MLA had gone to the Muslim-dominated area to greet people on Eid.

The hostage drama continued for three hours. The MLA claimed that he was ‘released’ after promising to find a solution to the problem. The locals also threatened to launch a massive agitation if their demands were not fulfilled, he said. After being ‘freed’, Chauhan refused to lodge a case against the locals.

However, Chandauli district magistrate Surendra Vikram refuted the MLA’s claim and said, “The BSP MLA had staged a sit-in with his supporters demanding that the area be connected to urban feeder. If Chauhan is claiming that he was held hostage then he should lodge an FIR. We will initiate appropriate action if any formal complaint is made.”

Earlier, Chauhan had gone with local corporator Murshida Begum’s husband Qayamuddin to greet the residents of Ward-13. The news of Chauhan’s arrival spread in adjoining areas and thousands of locals gathered at the spot. The crowd informed the MLA about the ground realities. They said that despite being a part of Palika Parishad, it was connected with Barauli rural feeder and power to the area was supplied for only four-five hours that too after a gap of several days. Major cause of their anger was that despite being Eid, no power supply was ensured in their ward for the last four days. They had been demanding that the ward be connected with urban or Sahupuri feeder to improve the power scene.

Chauhan said that he and local corporator Murshida Begum’s husband Qayamuddin were tied with a rope by locals. The MLA told TOI, “I called Chandauli DM, power department’s executive engineer and senior police officials over phone from the site. Except Alinagar station officer no other officer took pain to reach the rescue site.

The MLA said that despite his calls, no senior official turned up at the spot to save him. He said that the BSP would raise the issue strongly in state assembly. The MLA further said that he had written to party chief Mayawati and legislative party leader Swami Prasad Maurya to apprise them of the reasons that led to the situation.

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