Tensions flared in Hansemau village on Thursday evening after an Indian Army soldier was allegedly assaulted by supporters of a Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator. The altercation reportedly began when the soldier took offense to “objectionable remarks” directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Incident
The complainant, Vikas Deep, a veteran soldier with 18 years of service currently home on leave, was attending a public meeting addressed by Suresh Yadav, the SP MLA for Barabanki (Sadar). According to Deep:
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The MLA allegedly made derogatory comments regarding the Prime Minister.
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When Deep attempted to peacefully protest the language by taking the microphone, he was swarmed by the MLA’s supporters.
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Deep claims he was subjected to verbal abuse and physical violence, sustaining injuries from being punched and kicked before being rescued by bystanders.
Conflicting Accounts
While the jawan has formally requested an FIR and notified Army officials of the assault, the event’s organizers have presented a different version of the evening:
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The Organizer’s View: Sher Bahadur Singh, the program organizer, denied any assault took place. He claimed that the jawan disrupted the event by attempting to snatch the microphone while the MLA was discussing local development work. He described the incident as “jostling” caused by the large crowd rather than a targeted attack.
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Police Status: D.K. Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Satrikh, confirmed that a formal complaint has been received. “We are investigating the claims and monitoring social media reports of the incident. Appropriate legal action will follow based on our findings,” the SHO stated.
The incident has sparked significant conversation online, highlighting the volatile intersection of military identity and political discourse in the region.
