FARRUKHABAD: Activists of India Against Corruption ( IAC ) and a journalist were allegedly manhandled here by some persons today when they were conducting a survey regarding allegations of financial irregularities in a trust run by Union minister Salman Khurshid .

A Delhi-based journalist Abhinandan Mishra and members of IAC led by their local convener Laxman Singh were allegedly manhandled and stones were pelted on them when they were returning from Pitaura, native place of Khurshid in Kayamganj area this afternoon, sources said.

Khurshid represents the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

The IAC members claimed that they have informed senior police officials about the incident.

When contacted, additional Superintendent of Police O P Singh said he has been informed over phone about the incident and has asked the journalist and IAC members to lodge a written complaint.

The matter would be probed and the required action would be taken against those found guilty, he said.

Khurshid dares Kejriwal

In a clear challenge to Arvind Kejriwal , law minister Salman Khurshid has dared him to stage a protest in his constituency Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh and said "let him also return from Farrukhabad".

At a closed-door function here last night whose footage was aired by some news channels, Khurshid said, "I have been made the Law Minister and asked to work with the pen. I will work with the pen but also with blood."

Apparently referring to Kejriwal's threat to stage a protest in his home constituency from November 1, the senior Congress leader said, "Let them come to Farrukhabad and visit Farrukhabad. But let him also return from Farrukhabad."

Khurshid, whose NGO Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust has been accused by Kejriwal of financial bungling, said, "They say we will ask questions and you have to give the answers. We say you hear the answers and forget about asking questions."

Kejriwal saw the comments as a death threat to him. "Mr Salman Khurshid has threatened me. The kind of language which he has used, it does not suit the stature of country's law minister," the activist said.

"Killing me won't help because the country has been awakened. If one Arvind is killed, there will be another 100 Arvind. Rather than threatening like this, it would be better that Congress sensed the anger of people and took some concrete steps against corruption," he said.

Khurshid was accompanied by his wife Louise and several other supporters during the programme.