Several videos and statements have emerged from Uttar Pradesh where the Opposition has alleged violence by the BJP during voting and counting for Saturday’s block pramukh polls, and accused government officials of acting like ruling party cadres.

⚫ Videos purportedly show Unnao chief development officer (CDO) Divyanshu Patel catch a video journalist, Krishna Tiwari, by the ear and thrash him at the Miyanganj block office.

Fallout: Tiwari, who described Patel as a “goonda” before journalists on Saturday and confirmed the assault, prompting a media dharna before the district magistrate’s office, on Sunday released a video saying he was withdrawing the police complaint. He said Patel had not recognised him — contradicting what Tiwari had said on Saturday — and had later called him twice to apologise.

⚫ A senior police officer in Etawah has been filmed complaining over the phone, apparently to a superior, on Saturday that a BJP member slapped him and that a BJP MLA and district unit chief were moving about with supporters who were carrying bombs.

Fallout: Vimal Bhadauria, a local BJP leader, has been booked on the charge of assaulting the officer and attempting to murder cops by opening fire at the Badpur block office.

⚫ Dharmendra Singh, the newly elected Independent block pramukh of Miyanganj, has said one couldn’t tell “who was a government officer and who a BJP worker” during the counting. He said that even after his son was assaulted by the police, he had kept quiet for fear of being killed.

Tiwari, video journalist for a regional news channel, had told reporters late on Saturday evening: “I was filming some BJP members arguing with a block development council (BDC) member. The CDO, who was in a black T-shirt and a helmet, shouted that I shouldn’t record the scene.

“When I ignored him and continued doing my job, the CDO caught me by the ear and dragged me away. While I was trying to free myself from his grip and protect my video camera, he started thrashing me like a goonda and hurling abuses at me.”

The video clips show a man in a black T-shirt and another in a white kurta beat a man with a camera.

Tiwari had displayed bruises on his hands and neck and said: “My camera was on when the CDO started beating me. The CDO knows me very well. Some BJP workers also beat me.”

But on Sunday, a video surfaced purportedly showing him saying: “I am Krishna Tiwari. I had gone to the Miyanganj block office yesterday for election coverage. Some workers suddenly came. At that time the CDO somehow got into a dhakka mukki (pushing and shoving) with me.

“He had taken charge only six days earlier and didn’t recognise me. He called me late in the night and apologised. He has also tendered apologies to his senior officers. This morning too he called me and said he had committed a mistake.... I am satisfied with whatever he said and am withdrawing my complaint.”

Tiwari’s number was switched off. Patel refused to talk to reporters.

On Saturday, Tiwari had also said some people wearing saffron scarves had attacked him an hour before the incident with the CDO.

“I had come to know that some policemen and BJP workers were beating a BDC member near Sarambha Bridge, 2km from the block office. However, the attackers and the victim had left by the time I arrived there with Raja Rajput, a fellow journalist, on his motorcycle,” he said.

“On our way back to the block office, we were intercepted by two SUVs. Five or six youths with saffron scarves around their neck attacked both of us and broke my mobile phone.”

Later, journalists sat on a dharna at the district collectorate till 1am, leaving only after district magistrate Ravindra Kumar promised to have a case registered for the double assault on Tiwari.

However, on Sunday morning, Ravindra merely said an “inquiry was on”.

SP Anand Kulkarni said: “We have identified one of the attackers as Ankit Yadav. We are interrogating him to find out which party he belongs to.”

Dharmendra Singh, the newly elected Independent block pramukh of Miyanganj, said on Sunday: “It was difficult to identify during voting and counting who was a government officer and who was a BJP worker.”

He added: “The police baton-charged my son Abhay Singh in the afternoon and left him injured. His friends took him to a doctor but we remained silent because counting was on and the police, officials and BJP workers were very aggressive. They could have killed us.”

Cop’s complaint

In a video purportedly showing Etawah additional superintendent of police Prashant Kumar Prasad talking over the phone, with people milling around, the audio goes: “They were pelting us with stones, Sir. Sir, a BJP member slapped me. The BJP members are carrying bombs; the MLA and district president too. Vimal Bhadauria was with them.”

The local BJP MLA is Sarita Bhadauria (no relation to Vimal) and the district BJP president is Anil Dhakre. Both are seen in the video, shot apparently by a journalist near the Badpura block office on Saturday.

Badpura police station-in-charge Jitendra Kumar Sharma’s complaint says Vimal and 125 supporters had fired to terrorise the police and public and attacked Prasad.

Prasad didn’t answer calls. Superintendent of police Brijesh Kumar Singh told reporters on Sunday: “We have booked the BJP leader (Vimal) and 125 others on several charges including rioting with deadly weapons and attempt to murder. The accused will soon be arrested.”

A call to Sarita’s number in the afternoon was taken by a woman who said the MLA would call back. She had not till late in the evening.

Earlier, Sarita had told reporters the police had caned her supporters and booked them in false cases. She accepted that she and Dhakre were at the trouble spot near the block office.

Adityanath “declared” the results of the block pramukh elections early on Saturday evening, pre-empting the state election commission by hours. He has claimed the BJP has won 635 of the 825 seats.

The pramukh election is not held on party symbols, and the poll panel does not give party-wise breakups.