Durg: Congress MLA Devendra Yadav was taken into custody from Chhattisgarh's Durg district on Saturday by police probing the June 10 violence in Balodabazar city, an official said.
Several supporters of Yadav gathered outside his residence in Bhilai Nagar area and raised slogans after word spread about the police's action. Yadav is being brought to Balodabazar for further action, said Balodabazar Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal.
Police had summoned Yadav at least three times to record his statement in the Balodabazar arson case but he didn't turn up, following which he was apprehended.
Police personnel from Balodabazar with their Durg counterpart reached Yadav's house at around 7 AM. As the news spread, Yadav's supporters tried to protect the MLA and raised slogans.
Police finally managed to whisk away Yadav with them at around 5 pm, an official said. Unidentified persons had vandalised 'jaitkham' or 'victory pillar', a sacred symbol worshipped by the Satnami community, near the Amar Gufa at Giroudpuri Dham in the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district on the intervening night of May 15 and 16 this year.
On June 10, a mob set fire to a government office building and more than 150 vehicles in Balodabazar city during a protest called by Satnamis against the alleged ransacking of the 'victory pillar', leading to the imposition of section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Congress leaders, including Yadav, had allegedly attended a public meeting during the demonstration held by Satnamis at Dussehra Maidan. Around 150 people, including members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Bhim "Regiment" were arrested in connection with the June 10 arson.
The influential Satnami community, founded by medieval-era social reformer Baba Guru Ghasidas, represents the largest Scheduled Castes group in Chhattisgarh.
