Man arrested after road rage incident involving UP minister's escort vehicle in Sonbhadra

Sonbhadra (UP), Oct 31 (PTI) One person has been arrested, and a search for two others is on, following an altercation over "overtaking" the escort vehicle of Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Social Welfare, Sanjeev Kumar Gond, in Sonbhadra district, officials said on Friday.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Verma said Gond and Sanjeev Kumar Tripathi, a district panchayat representative, were travelling from Robertsganj towards Dala on Thursday evening when an argument broke out near Chopan between the occupants of another car and those in the police escort vehicle accompanying the minister.

He said a heated exchange took place between the accused and the minister's security personnel over overtaking.

Tripathi alleged that some youths tried to stop the minister's vehicle, and when the driver did not halt, they beat both the escort and the minister's car with their hands.

"Had the vehicle stopped, the situation could have escalated further," Tripathi claimed.

After the incident, police in Chopan was alerted; they began checking vehicles in the area.

According to officials, during the search, police arrested Ankit Mishra, a resident of Dudhi, who was allegedly driving the car involved in the incident.

Two other passengers from the same vehicle -- Shubham Soni and Pankaj Agrahari, both residents of Dudhi -- managed to flee and are currently being sought by police, officials said.

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections, and their car has been seized. PTI COR CDN PRK PRK