Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and senior party leader Vinay Katiyar were taken into custody in the wee hours on Wednesday while protesting the removal of a statue of Jan Sangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and demolition of a square in Rampur town of Uttar Pradesh.

Naqvi told PTI he was taken into custody around 0300 IST. Katiyar was also taken into custody later, he said.

Naqvi alleged that the demolition, which followed the removal of the statue on Sunday night, was being carried out at the behest of Uttar Pradesh Minister for Urban Development Azam Khan.

The authorities, meanwhile, said the step was taken to widen a road.

On the BJP's rally in protest of the move, Naqvi said it would be held later in the day and senior party leaders, including state unit President Kesri Nath Tripathi, have reached the town to participate in it.

Earlier Report: Tension over demolition of Jan Sangh leader's statue