Attempt To Murder Case Against Congress Workers After Protest Outside CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Agra Home

Around 20 Congress workers, including six who have been arrested, have been booked on charges including attempt to murder, rioting and causing grievous hurt following a protest outside Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s residence in Agra, police sources said on Wednesday.

The case relates to a protest held on Monday outside Kumar’s residence in the Vijay Nagar area as part of the Congress’ statewide agitation against the CEC. Police alleged that protesters wrote slogans in black paint on the gate and wall of the house before leaving the spot.

Six Congress leaders - Anil Yadav, Mukesh Dhangar, Manoj Gaur, Rajesh Kumar, Raja Gautam and Pankaj Chaudhary, were arrested in connection with the case and sent to jail on Tuesday, police said.

The FIR was registered at Hariparvat police station on the basis of a written complaint by Sub-Inspector Gaurav Gupta. It names eight people and also includes 15-20 unidentified Congress workers.

Police have invoked several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 109 for attempt to murder, Section 121 for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter a public servant from performing official duties, Section 126 for wrongful restraint, Section 132 for assault or criminal force against a public servant and Section 191 relating to rioting by an unlawful assembly.

The FIR also includes provisions concerning house-trespass, criminal intimidation and intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace.

Congress city president Amit Singh disputed the charges, saying the case should have been confined to provisions related to the protest. He alleged that police had added several “false” sections against the workers.

Singh said a Congress delegation would meet the police commissioner on Wednesday and seek removal of what the party considers false charges.

The case comes amid a wider confrontation between the Congress and the Election Commission over issues surrounding the electoral roll revision exercise and other election-related decisions.