On Sunday, June 29, 2025, Chandrashekhar Azad, the Nagina MP and leader of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), was stopped by police from visiting Isota village in Uttar Pradesh. This action sparked protests from his supporters, resulting in clashes with law enforcement and vandalism of police vehicles.
Azad intended to visit the family of Devishankar, who died from burn injuries on April 13, 2025. The family claimed Devishankar was burned to death. However, police stopped Azad at the Circuit House in Prayagraj, citing security reasons.
News of Azad being prevented from reaching the village angered his supporters, who had gathered in Isota village of Karchana tehsil upon hearing of his planned visit. According to DCP (Yamuna Nagar) Vivek Chandra Yadav, the angered supporters began pelting stones when they realized Azad would not be allowed to come. A vehicle assigned to Dial 112 and another police vehicle were damaged in the ensuing chaos. Police were able to bring the situation under control, and authorities are working to identify the culprits and register a case against them.
Chandrashekhar Azad's political background offers context to this event. Azad won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, marking a shift in Dalit votes. He had formed the Bhim Army to fight against caste atrocities.
This isn't the first time Azad has faced police intervention while attempting to visit victims of caste-based violence. In 2020, he was initially stopped from visiting the family of a Dalit woman who died after an alleged gang rape in Hathras. Although he was later allowed to visit the family, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against him and 400 others for violating Section 144, which prohibits unlawful assembly. Similarly, in February 2020, Azad was reportedly "denied" a visit to Mangta village and instead met injured Dalits in a Kanpur hospital.
These incidents highlight the challenges faced by Chandrashekhar Azad and his supporters when trying to address issues of caste-based violence and injustice in Uttar Pradesh. His actions often draw strong reactions from both supporters and authorities, leading to tense situations and clashes.
