Bahraich violence: One named accused nabbed, security upped along Nepal border
Bahraich returning to normalcy with private schools reopening on Wednesday; Internet services remain suspended for the third day in a row
BAHRAICH One of the six accused named in the FIR filed by the Bahraich victim’s family was arrested near the Raji crossing in Mahsi block of the district on Wednesday while attempting to flee to Nepal. The other five accused were absconding, said police.
SHO Kamal Shankar said the police had obtained custody remand of Danish alias Shahir for interrogation while raids were being conducted at various locations in search of the main accused, Sarfaraz, and other individuals.
The deceased Ram Gopal Mishra’s family had lodged an FIR against 10 people — six named and four unnamed. Danish was among the six and was reportedly present at the scene of the incident alongside the main accused Sarfaraz, said the SHO.
Meanwhile, Bahraich was returning to normalcy with private schools reopening on Wednesday and no untoward incident being reported here since Tuesday, days after the communal violence that broke out on Sunday leading to the death of a youth, said officials.
Internet services remained suspended for the third day in a row in Maharajganj town of the district, affecting daily life and businesses. There was heavy police deployment, particularly in the 20-km radius of Maharajganj town in the Mahsi tehsil where communal violence broke out.
In view of the situation in Bahraich, which shares an international border with Nepal, the Sashastra Seema Bal increased vigilance on the border and reached out to their counterparts, too, asking them to put a check on “unnecessary” movement of people, a senior officer said.
As many as 10 FIRs were lodged in connection with the communal violence. One was filed by the victim’s family against those who killed Ram Gopal Mishra while six others were filed in connection with arson and brawl. Three cases were lodged by Muslim families against miscreants for setting up houses and properties on fire. The miscreants were being identified through video footage and raids were being conducted in the area to nab them, said SHO (Hardi) KS Chaturvedi.
Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, was shot dead and about half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing as communal violence broke out during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich.
The Yogi Adityanath-led state government had initiated action against police officials.
The SHO of Hardi police station SK Verma and in-charge of the Mahsi police outpost Shiv Kumar had already been suspended. Additionally, CO Mahsi, Rupendra Gaur, was replaced by CO Ravi Khokhar.
The move followed the violence that reportedly broke out after an argument between two groups over some objectionable songs being played on the DJ as the procession passed through a Muslim-dominated area during an idol immersion procession in Maharajganj market area.
₹10L compensation for victim’s family
Ram Gopal Mishra’s family was given ₹10 lakh compensation through two cheques of ₹5 lakh on Tuesday night. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath had met the kin at his official residence in Lucknow on Tuesday and announced the ex gratia amount, a house under PM Awas Yojana and benefits of other government schemes to the family.
Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Akhilesh Kumar said ₹5 lakh cheque was provided to the victim’s wife Roli and another ₹5 lakh cheque to his mother. The family was also facilitated with benefits of other schemes.
‘Victim died of 25-30 pellet injuries’
Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, who was shot dead during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich on October 13, died due to “shock and excessive bleeding”. This was stated by Bahraich CMO Dr Sanjay Kumar after the post-mortem examination revealed that as many as “25 to 30 pellets” were found on the deceased’s body, which also had injury marks. “The report revealed that there were serious injury marks around the left eye and on the toenails,” he said. HT has access to the report
