Protests Erupt in Varanasi as SP Workers Block BHU Singh Dwar Over Akhilesh Yadav's Detention

VARANASI, INDIA — High drama unfolded outside the iconic main gate of Banaras Hindu University (BHU Singh Dwar) as hundreds of Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders and workers staged a fierce protest against the detention of party national president Akhilesh Yadav.

Demonstrators blocked the busy arterial road connecting Lanka to the university campus, bringing traffic to a grinding halt and triggering a standoff with local police forces.

Heated Clash and Road Blockade at Lanka Intersection

Carrying party flags, banners, and placards, enraged SP workers and youth wing members gathered near Lanka and BHU Singh Dwar to voice their opposition. Slogans were raised against the administration and government as protesters sat on the road, paralyzing vehicle movement across one of the city's busiest transit corridors.

When police officers stationed at Lanka attempted to clear the blockade, heated arguments and scuffles broke out between law enforcement and party cadres.

Police Action and Mass Custody

To restore traffic flow and maintain public order in the sensitive university area, police personnel moved swiftly to disperse the crowd:

• Forceful Clearing: Police erected barricades and pushed back demonstrators attempting to advance toward university administrative gates.

• Detentions Executed: Dozens of key SP office-bearers and student activists were forcibly loaded into police buses and taken into preventive custody.

• Traffic Restored: Following the removal of protesters, security personnel cleared the Lanka-BHU road section to ease vehicular movement.

Senior police officials confirmed that extra forces have been deployed across key intersections, including BHU Singh Dwar and Kashi Vidyapeeth, to prevent further unannounced demonstrations and ensure public order.