Mayawati rally: FIR lodged in bee invasion incident

Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajiv Krishna, who is probing into the bee invasion incident, said that prima facie it had been revealed that the bees swarmed Ramabai Ambedkar rally ground during Mayawati's address after being disturbed by smoke. "Initially, a case under section section 435 (lighting fire to cause damage) and 285 (causing disturbance in any public place) has been lodged at Ashiyana police station," Krishna told reporters.

The DIG said that it was a serious incident as in case of a bee attack it could have led to a stampede in which a number of people could have been killed. Likewise, if something would have happened to people on stage then also it could have led to stampede and death, he said. He said that the opinion of experts in bee behaviour had also been taken.

The police are further investigating into the incident as to who lit the fire and what was the objective behind, he added. After the incident, the BSP alleged that appearance of the bees at the rally ground was a conspiracy following which the state government ordered an inquiry. A preliminary inquiry has indicated that some persons intentionally lit fire to disturb a beehive at nearby Ambedkar University in a bid to disturb the rally, official sources said.

"According to experts, the bees that swarmed the rally ground were bigger ones, normally found in forest areas," they said. Addressing a meeting of party leaders, MPs and MLAs yesterday, Mayawati alleged that "in a bid to creat stampede, under a conspiracy a behive near the rally ground was disturbed due to which a swarm of bees came towards the stage."