Two men accused of killing youth that led to communal tension in Bahraich shot at in police encounter

The Opposition parties questioned the timings of the violence and alleged BJP of doing ‘fake encounters’

Two accused, who were arrested for killing a 22-year-old man during Durga Puja procession that triggered communal violence in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, were shot in an encounter on Thursday (October 17, 2024) when they allegedly attempted to escape from police custody.

The Opposition parties questioned the timings of the violence and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for doing ‘fake encounters’ to hide its failure to maintain law and order in the State.

Those shot were identified as Mohammad Sarfaraz and Mohammad Talib. Three other persons who were arrested in connection with the crime were Mohammad Faheen, Abdul Hameed and Mohammad Afzal, police said. The victim who died during the procession was Ram Gopal Mishra.

“The encounter took place when a team of police took the accused near Handa Basehri area, close to Nepal border, to recover the murder weapon. Two of them attempted to shoot at police teams with the loaded guns they had kept at the spot. The police shot at them in the retaliatory firing. They were taken to hospital and treatment is going on,” said Vrinda Shukla, Superintendent of Police (SP), Bahraich.

In a video shot by the police after the encounter making rounds on social media, four policemen could be seen dragging two accused, bleeding from legs. The men in uniform and one in plain clothes were telling the accused that they betrayed the police by firing at them and this was not a great thing to do.

“Kitne pyaar se le kar aa rahe the tum logo ko, bharosa nahi tha aisa karoge (we brough you here with so much care. We never thought that you will try to flee),” said the policemen donning bulletproof jackets.

The accused could be heard apologising to the policemen and said that they wont repeat the crime ever again. “We were trying to run to Nepal after firing on police....we won’t commit any mistake ever,” the accused said.

Opposition cries foul

Accusing the U.P. police for doing ‘fake encounters’ to hide its failure, UP Congress chief Ajay Rai questions police’s action. “This government plants riots and then does fake encounter,” Mr. Rai alleged.

A post on X by Samajwadi Party also questioned the timing of the Bahraich voilence, which took place after BJP’s poor performance in Lok Sabha elections and just before the bypolls.

“Forcibly entering the house of a Muslim and teasing his sister or daughter, abusing him, raising objectionable slogans, uprooting his religious flag from his house and putting up one’s own, raising slogans of killing, abusing and playing songs on DJ during the immersion ceremony of Goddess Maa, what kind of religion is this and what were the miscreants following during the immersion ceremony of the Mother Goddess,” the SP’s media cell posted on X.

It added that all the above activities were unlawful and unacceptable to any peace loving person.

Recalling the murder of Chandan Gupta who was killed during communal clashes in Kasganj in 2018, SP media cell alleged that BJP win elections by playing politics and the same is happening after the murder of Gopal Mishra.

“Perhaps CM Yogi/BJP wants to play the same formula in the by-elections, which is very shameful and a question mark. Why does no son or child of any BJP leader ever fall prey to BJP’s dirty politics? Why are only the children of poor people working as political weapons/tools for BJP,” the SP media cell added.

Normalcy restored

Meanwhile, the internet services were restored in Bahraich district on Thursday, 72 hours after the communal clash that broke out at Baharaich on Sunday over the alleged playing of loud music outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession, in which Mr. Mishra died of gunshot injuries.

The incident triggered violence in the area as rioters ran rampage on roads. Houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals and vehicles were torched by mobs that destroyed property. Police lodged multiple FIR in the incident against unidentified rioters and some named accused.

Also read: Adityanath meets Bahraich violence victim’s kin, says culprits will not be spared at any cost

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bahraich Pavitra Mohan Tripathi said in a video message warned the people spreading rumours related to the incident on social media, as well as on the ground.

“False information is being spread in relation to the incident in Maharajganj area on October 13, which may disrupt communal harmony. Claims that the deceased was electrocuted, attacked with a sword, or had his nails pulled out are baseless,” said the ASP.

Published - October 17, 2024 04:26 pm IST