26 more arrested in Bahraich violence as crackdown escalates
- In Reports
- 06:11 PM, Oct 19, 2024
- Myind Staff
The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 26 more people related to the communal violence in Bahraich, which started after a man was killed during Durga Puja celebrations on October 13. So far, 87 people have been arrested as the police continue their crackdown, officials said.
Although business operations and traffic flow gradually resumed on Saturday after a violent Friday evening, the Maharajganj neighbourhood remained tense. The region still has a significant police and security presence. On October 13, a dispute over loud music being played outside a place of worship in Maharajganj resulted in the shooting death of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra. Internet services were interrupted for days during the ensuing community violence, which included instances of stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson.
"With today's arrests, a total of 87 people from both communities have been detained so far. By Thursday night, the police had arrested 61 individuals, including six accused in the killing of Mishra," a police official told PTI. According to authorities, hundreds of unidentified rioters have been charged and about a dozen formal FIRs have been filed in the district. There were almost 1,000 people against whom cases were filed, including six named individuals.
Two of the primary suspects in the violence were shot during an altercation on Thursday, October 17. According to the police, Sarfaraz and Taleem, the accused who were engaged in the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra, were shot as they were escaping to Nepal.
The house of one of the primary defendants, Abdul Hameed, was given a demolition notice since it was built unlawfully on public property. Shopkeepers started disassembling their stores and fled on their own out of fear of bulldozer action.
On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hosted a high-level meeting to assess the situation at his residence. The meeting was attended by Home Secretary Deepak Kumar, Assistant Director General of Police (ADGP) Amitabh Yash, and state top policeman Prashant Kumar. The meeting also covered the reasons on how the police failed to prevent the crime.
Following the communal violence, Tehsildar Ravikant Dwivedi, Circle Officer Rupendra Gaur, and District Information Officer Ghulam Waris Siddiqui were dismissed, while a station house officer (SHO) and a police outpost in-charge were suspended.
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