Baghpat, Jun 4 (IANS): The Baghpat police have registered a case against Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA of Sardhana, Atul Pradhan, and 15 others in Baghpat Kotwali on charges of preventing police from discharging official duty, when he was stopped from going to Saharanpur.

Pradhan accused the police of misbehaving and manhandling him and has informed the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana about the matter.

The MLA said he would also register a complaint against the misbehaviour of the policemen.

The MLA also staged a 'dharna' (protest) on the road. He was brought to police lines in Meerut and released thereafter.

Baghpat Superintendent of Police (SP), Arpit Vijayvargiya, said that a case had been registered against Atul Pradhan and 15 others under Section 353 of the IPC (preventing a public servant from discharging official duty).

He also added that Pradhan was stopped at Mawikala village and informed that he was not allowed to go to Saharanpur but he broke the barrier and later stopped near Sisana village in Muzaffarnagar district.

The SP denied the charges levelled by the MLA against police and said the policemen did not misbehave with him.

The members and leaders of the Gurjar community had taken out Samrat Mihir Bhoj Gaurav Yatra in the Nakud area of Saharanpur on May 29, violating prohibition order.

The Yatra triggered a controversy following a protest by the Thakur community who blamed the Gurjars of distorting history and claimed that Samrat Mihir Bhoj was a Rajput king.

Police had sealed the border of Saharanpur with adjoining Muzaffarnagar to prevent entry of Gurjar and Thakur leaders who were going to attend the rally and protest where Pradhan was also present among them.