DHAKA: India’s Uttar Pradesh Police Saturday arrested BSP MLA Noor Salim Rana and BJP MLA Sangeet Som for their alleged role in the Muzaffarnagar riots.

The Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Noor Salim Rana was arrested from Muzaffarnagar for his alleged role in riots. Rana is the third MLA to be arrested in connection to the riots.

BJP MLA Sangeet Som, accused of uploading a fake video that played a role in provoking communal tension in Muzaffarnagar and making inflammatory speeches, was also arrested from Merrut.

SSP Deepak Kumar said that Som was arrested from Salava village in his constituency Sardhana amid slogan-shouting by his supporters.

Though police said they had arrested Som, the supporters of the legislator claimed he had surrendered before Sardhana police.

Police has been put on alert in the town to deal with possible protests by BJP supporters, reports The Times of India.

Som’s arrest comes a day after Uttar Pradesh Police took into custody BJP MLA Suresh Rana in Lucknow on charges of making provocative speech to incite riots in Muzaffarnagar.

A court in Muzaffarnagar had on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against 16 politicians and community leaders including Som, BSP MP Qadir Rana, BJP MLA Bhartendu Singh, BSP MLAs Noor Saleem and Maulana Jameel, Congress leader Saeeduzaman and BKU chief Naresh Tikait.

They are wanted for violating prohibitory orders and provoking communal tension by inflammatory speeches in different meetings in the district, police said.

BDST: 1444 HRS, SEPT 21, 2013
RoR/BSK