The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has suffered an embarrassment in Uttarakhand [Images] after state party spokesman Vishwas Dabut allegedly beat up a policeman and tore his uniform in Dehradun, following a road rage.
    
The incident took place on Monday night after Dabut's son Archit, driving a car hit a policeman and tried to speed away from the Chakrata Road police-post, where police were towing away parked vehicles from unauthorised areas.
    
On being caught and questioned by police, Archit rang up his father. Dabut, in a fit of rage, allegedly beat up a policeman and tore his uniform in full view of the public. He also used abusive language against Shahajahan Ansari, a woman police officer.
    
Though police did not arrest Dabut, a case was filed under 353 and 504 of IPC for threatening policemen on duty.
    
"We have lodged a case against Dabut. There is pressure from higher-ups to not arresting him," a top police official said.
    
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress demanded immediate arrest of Dabur [Get Quote], saying the incident manifested the "collapse of law and order machinery in the state. Party spokesman Surendra Kumar threatened to hold state-wide agitations if the BJP leader was not arrested soon.

Meanwhile, pressure was mounting within BJP to initiate disciplinary action against Dabut and remove him from the post. Chief Minister B C Khanduri has consulted state party President Bachi Singh Rawat in this regard, party sources said.
     
When contacted, Dabur said, he was being "trapped in a well-planned conspiracy" and that he was "innocent".