Four detained for arson at Rita Bahuguna Joshi's house

Four persons were detained today for allegedly indulging in arson at UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi's residence here even as the Congress threatened to launch a massive agitation against the incident.
   
"Four persons have been detained in connection with the incident and they are being interrogated. Efforts are being made to nab others involved in the incident," additional district magistrate Anil Kumar said.
   
Suspected BSP supporters attacked Joshi's house after she allegedly made inflammatory speech against CM Mayawati in Moradabad district. A portion of the house in the high security area at Sarojini Naidu Marg, which is at a stone's throw distance from the state secretariat, was also set on fire.
   
Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh has alleged "the attack was government-sponsored and was led by a BSP MLA".
   
Police officers said that the role of the MLA, whose name surfaced during investigation, is also being probed.
   
Alleging that while the BSP workers went on rampage and indulged in arson, the police remained a mute spectator, Singh said "we will launch an agitation from street to parliament and raise the issue".
   
Meanwhile, Joshi's house has been turned into a fortress and heavy police force deployed to avert any untoward incident. She was arrested in Ghaziabad last night for her alleged derogatory remarks.