Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of "manhandling" her by "grabbing her neck" when she was on her way to meet family members of former IPS officer SR Darapuri and party member Sadaf Jafar who were arrested during a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Lucknow.

After meeting Darapuri's family members, Priyanka Gandhi said a woman cop stopped her. "Mujhe roka gaya, mujhe gala daba kar police wale ne roka. Mujhe pakad kar dhakela gaya. Iske baad main gir gayi thi. Fir main ek Congress karyakarta ke scooter par baith kar chali gayi. Mujhe mahila police adhikaari ne roka tha [I was stopped. The police stopped me by grabbing my neck. I was pushed and I fell down. Then I went ahead with a party member on his two-wheeler. I was stopped by a lady police officer]."

Reacting to this the Congress slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over police "manhandling" Priyanka Gandhi in Lucknow. The party demanded imposition of President's rule in the state.

ALSO READ | UP Police rejects Priyanka Gandhi's manhandling allegations

Congress leader Sushmita Dev said Priyanka Gandhi was acting as a responsible leader without disturbing peace. The Congress leader "didn't violate Section 144 but even then she was manhandled by police", Sushmita Dev claimed, alleging "there is complete goonda raj and there should be President's rule in the state".

#WATCH: Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says,"UP police stopped me while I was going to meet family of Darapuri ji. A policewoman strangulated&manhandled me. They surrounded me while I was going on a party worker's two-wheeler,after which I walked to reach there." pic.twitter.com/hKNx0dw67k ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 28, 2019

The alleged incident occurred when Priyanka Gandhi was heading to the residence of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, who was arrested in connection with the recent anti-CAA protests.

Priyanka Gandhi has claimed that the IP Police tried to stop her, she was surrounded, held by the throat by a female cop and pushed by another as she was walking towards Darapuri's residence in Indiranagar's Sector 18 in Lucknow.

#WATCH: Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says,"UP police stopped me while I was going to meet family of Darapuri ji. A policewoman strangulated&manhandled me. They surrounded me while I was going on a party worker's two-wheeler,after which I walked to reach there." pic.twitter.com/hKNx0dw67k ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 28, 2019

Priyanka Gandhi, however, managed to meet Darapuri's family and blamed the Uttar Pradesh Police for stopping her unnecessarily.

Priyanka Gandhi meeting SR Darapuri's wife in Lucknow. (Photo: India Today)

Speaking to India Today TV after meeting the family members of SR Darapuri, Priyanka Gandhi said, "I came and met the family members. They are shocked at the detention of SR Darapuri who is very senior police official."

In a statement, the Congress said Priyanka Gandhi's convoy was stopped for a while at Gomti Nagar by the police when she was traveling to Lucknow to meet the families of SR Darapuri and Sadaf Jafar.