Two women die after police allegedly set their home on fire during demolition drive in UP

A mother and daughter were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district after the police allegedly set their hut on fire during a demolition drive, reported NDTV on Tuesday.

Local police officials claimed that the two had set themselves on fire but the state police have registered a murder case against 13 persons. Those charged include the subdivisional magistrate, the station house officer and a bulldozer operator. They have also been charged with attempt to murder and voluntarily causing hurt.

The deceased have been identified as 44-year-old Pramila Dixit and her 21-year-old daughter Neha Dixit, reported the Hindustan Times.

The incident took place in the Madauli village where the police, district administration and revenue officials had gone to remove alleged encroachments from a government land, a police official said.

The villagers claim that the police had not given them a notice about the alleged encroachments.

“They started the fire while people were still inside,” said Shivam Dixit, the son of Pramila Dixit. “We were just about able to escape. They broke our temple. Nobody did anything, not even the DM. Everybody ran, nobody could save my mother.”

Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy, however, said he has been told that the two locked themselves in their home and set themselves on fire. He said that matter would be investigated.

“Whenever there is an anti-encroachment drive, a video is shot,” Murthy added. “We have asked for the video and will investigate it.”

The deaths have caused tension between the villagers and the police. Villagers allegedly threw bricks at the police, who then left the spot, reported NDTV.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party demanded that the accused persons be punished and alleged that the Bhartiya Janata Party has made “bulldozer a symbol to show its illegal power”.