Noida: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi were arrested on Thursday at the outskirts of Delhi, citing the epidemic act, which is in force because of Covid- 19, to send them back to Delhi.

Both Rahul and Priyanka planned visit to Hathras on Thursday, the police stopped them at Noida, pushed and jolted Rahul to the ground when he insisted on walking. The two were on their way to Hathras to meet the family of the Dalit teenager who died earlier this week at Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital after allegedly being raped and brutalized.

Rahul and Priyanka were arrived at DND around 1 pm with a group of party functionaries and hundreds of Congress workers. Around 1.30 pm, at zero point the convoy was stopped by police in anti –riot gear.

At this point, Rahul and Priyanka got off their vehicle and decided to leave on foot. They walked for about 7 Kms and were stopped several times by the police. Around 3 pm they reached Murshadpur village, the police again stopped them. Rahul was surrounded by cops and pushed to the ground.

He alleged he and Priyanka were lathi charged too. I want to ask can only Modiji walk in this country? Can’t a normal person walk? Over vehicle was stopped, so we started walking, said Rahul, amid heated arguments with cops as he asked which law he was violating. Police cited the epidemic act.

Additional CP (Law & Order) Love Kumar said they had asked Rahul and Priyanka to stop because it could affect law and order in Hathras. Around 3.40 pm, both were arrested and taken to a guest house near Budh International Circuit and booked.