The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested BJP MLA Suresh Rana for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches in Muzaffarnagar on the 7th of this month. Rana is a sitting MLA from Thana Bhawan constituency in Shamli.

He was arrested soon after the conclusion of the Monsoon Session of the Assembly. Within few hours after Rana's arrest, BJP gave a call for bandh tomorrow in western UP.

IG (Law and Order) Raj Kumar Vishwakarma said, Rana would be produced before a local court in Lucknow today and then be taken to Muzaffarnagar on transit remand. AIR correspondent has reported that on September 18th, a local court of Muzaffarnagar had issued non bailable warrants against 16 persons, including political and community leaders for abetment of communal hatred in Muzaffarnagar and other places.

Besides Rana, the other listed political leaders include BJP MLAs Sangeet Som, Bhartendu Singh and Hukum Singh, BSP MP from Muzaffarnagar Kadir Rana and two MLAs of BSP Noor Salim and Maulana Jameel and a former Congress MP Saeeduzzuma.