Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi left for Shabbirpur village in Saharanpur Saturday morning despite local administration’s refusal to grant him permission to visit the riot-hit western UP district citing law and order issues. 
Accompanied by UP Congress chief Raj Babbar and senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress leader is expected to reach reach Saharanpur around 1 pm.

said Rahul was denied permission owing to law and order problem. 
“I have denied permission to all political leaders interested in visiting Saharanpur. I have asked the Congress district president to arrange for the visit after the situation becomes normal,” District Magistrate Pramod Kumar said in defence of his denial of permission to Rahul.