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News Desk: Samajwadi Party candidate from Gosaiganj, Abhay Singh, and BJP nominee Aarti Singh’s chief campaign manager, Vikas Singh, were arrested on Saturday after simmering tension between rival groups escalated into full-blown violence late Friday. Though Singh was out on bail by evening, he’s the second SP candidate to be arrested after Kairana’s Nahid Hasan.
Both sides had clashed with stones and brickbats, amidst spiralling allegations of sporadic firing. Violence spilled over into Maharajganj police station premises, when rival groups trooped in to lodge complaints late Friday. Seven persons, including the SP candidate were arrested for rioting, breach of peace and attempt to murder, said Ayodhya SSP Shailesh Pandey. “We lodged an FIR based on allegations by both sides . Both the SP candidate and BJP campaign manager have been released on bail” he said. To recall, BJP candidate Aarti Singh is the wife of jailed former BJP MLA Indra Pratap Tiwari alias Khabbu Tiwari.
SP candidate Abhay Singh said “BJP’s sinking mass base and rising anti-incumbency are forcing them to trigger unrest in Gosaiganj”. The district BJP spokesperson, Rajneesh Singh said “Police must provide security to Aarti Singh and her supporters”.
