UPCC chief visits kin of slain student in Varanasi

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai on Friday visited the family of Hemant Patel, a slain Class 12 student, at their home in Marui village, Varanasi. He questioned the delay in action against the accused and asked, “When will the bulldozer run over the house of the accused?”

Rai met Hemant’s father, Advocate Kailash Chand Patel, and assured the family of all possible support. Speaking to reporters after the visit, Rai criticized the administration, saying, “Why hasn’t the bulldozer reached the house of the accused even after so many days?”

He added that the Congress party is ready to take to the streets to ensure justice for the victim’s family.

Hemant Patel (18), a Class 12 student, was allegedly shot dead on April 22 in a room located in the compound of a car parking area in Khushahal Nagar under the Shivpur police station limits.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will begin probing the case on April 28. Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal has constituted a three-member team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Gomti Zone) Akash Patel, with Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Neetu and an Assistant Commissioner of Police as members.

Police recovered a licensed .32 bore pistol, a spent shell, a cartridge, a magazine, and a cold drink bottle with a glass from the scene. A case has been registered against three persons—Ravi Singh, Shashank, and Kishan—based on a complaint from Hemant’s family.

Ravi Singh, the assistant director of the school, had allegedly summoned Hemant to the room in the compound near his house, where the student was shot dead. Ravi has since been arrested.

Several Congress leaders and workers accompanied Rai during the visit, including district president Rajeshwar Singh Patel, vice president Rajiv Ram, Ramsanehi Pandey, Shriprakash Mishra, Shashikant Mishra, Manish Marolia, Ashok Singh, Sunil Singh, Ratan Seth and Dina Singh.

HTC