Society guards thrashed by minister’s security staff

Ghaziabad, Aug 19 (PTI) A member of Union Minister MaheshSharma’s security team allegedly assaulted guards of a housingsociety here for "delay" in opening the gate with the incidentcaught on CCTV cameras. The guards were assaulted last evening after heintercepted the minister’s cavalcade and asked which flat theywanted to visit, some of residents of Aashiyana society said. When the guard stopped them, the occupants of the cargot into an argument with him and used abusive language. Theyalso slapped the guards. Sharma was visiting his sister at the society for RakshaBandhan celebrations when the incident took place. It wascaught on CCTV cameras installed at the gate. Indirapuram Police Station SHO Gorkah Nath Yadav said nocomplaint has been received from the residents or officebearers of the society in this connection. Meanwhile, Sharma alleged that people were "trying tomake a political" issue of it and "malign" his image evenafter he had apologised and suspended his staff. He claimed that the "scuffle" between the guards hadbroken out in his "absence" after he had gone inside. "…without knowing who was at fault, I unconditionallyapologised to the guard, the RWA president and suspended mysecurity personnel. I also permitted police to take actionagainst him. What else can be done…There are other peoplewho trying to make political issue out of it. People aretrying to use this to malign my image," he said. Sharma is an MP from Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency inUttar Pradesh which is slated for election early next year.PTI CORR/MP AARAAR