Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was detained in Unnao on the Agra Lucknow Expressway on Thursday. He was on his way to meet Samajwadi Party leader Padeep Yadav, who was assaulted in a clash and was detained by the police on Wednesday, in Auraiya, ANI reported.

Akhilesh Yadav’s convoy was stopped near Hasanganj toll plaza, where police had put up barricades, The Times of India reported. On Wednesday, police had detained several Samajwadi Party leaders and workers after a protest turned violent. Police had to fire tear gas shells to control the situation.

The party workers had alleged that the police were being partial and did not let them accompany their candidate for the District Panchayat Chairperson’s post to the nomination room in the Auraiya Collectorate.

After he was released, Akhilesh Yadav said the police and the government were doing this to stop him from meeting workers. “All this is being done to win a district panchayat president poll,” he said.