New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday stopped a delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders from entering Hathras, the party said in a statement.
The MPs, who were travelling separately, were on their way to the Hathras victim's village to express solidarity with the grieving family and convey their condolences, when they were stopped by the police, the party said.
The delegation included MPs Derek O'Brien, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Pratima Mondal, and ex MP Mamata Thakur.
"We are peacefully proceeding to Hathras to meet the family and pay our condolences. We are travelling individually and maintaining all protocols. We are not armed. Why have we been stopped?" the official party statement quoted an MP who was part of the delegation.
The leaders were stopped 1.5 kilometres away from the village "What kind of jungle raj is this that elected MPs are prevented from meeting a grieving family. At this moment, we are just 1.5 kilometres from the victim's home in Hathras, explaining to police officials that we will walk the 1.5 kilometres," the MP added.
Read:Hathras gangrape: Case registered against Rahul, Priyanka, over 200 others
Earlier yesterday, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and around 150 of their party workers were briefly detained in Greater Noida for alleged violation of prohibitory orders while walking towards Hathras to meet the Dalit rape victim's family.
Rahul Gandhi also fell down in the scuffle after police tried to stop him and his supporters from proceeding on the Yamuna Expressway near the Jewar toll plaza. Pictures of the incident were shared by the party.
The Gandhis were seeking to walk down from Greater Noida to Hathras after their vehicles were stopped by the police near Pari Chowk. After walking for some time, they were stopped by the police.
