Stopped from meeting PM Modi, woman sets bus on fire in Varanasi

Denied the chance to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a woman in Varanasi set a bus on fire, reported PTI on Wednesday.

Vandana Raghuvanshi, secretary of the Poorvanchal Jan Andolan Samiti, who has been campaigning for a separate Purvanchal state, had gone to meet the PM when he had visited the city. She was however stopped from meeting him.

The women then went to the Varanasi bus stand at around 11 am and boarded a Volvo bus that ran between the city and Lucknow, Dinesh Kumar Singh, superintendent of police told the news agency.

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The official also added that the lady asked two-three passengers present inside the luxury bus to deboard the bus and then lighted the vehicle after sprinkling petrol in it. Fire tenders were immediately called to stop the flames from spreading, but the bus was partially burnt, added Singh.

She asked two-three passengers present inside the luxury bus to deboard, following which she sprinkled petrol inside and torched it, Singh said. Fire tenders were called in to douse the flames, but the bus was partially burnt.

It has also been accused that Raghuvanshi, who has now been arrested, distributed pamphlets on the demand for a separate Purvanchal state at the bus stand.

Meanwhile, Raghuvanshi told reporters outside the police station that she had been demanding a new Purvanchal state to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh and that is the reason she wanted to meet Modi, but was stopped by the police.

The woman alleged that she had in the past also tried several times to meet Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during their visit to the city, but all in vain.

Raghuvanshi also added that she was in an indefinite hunger strike from August 15, but it was not covered by the media when she protested in a peaceful manner and hence she was now forced to take the violent step, hoping that her message would reach PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath.