Two men accused in a case pertaining to the communal violence that broke in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich were shot by the police on Thursday, reported PTI.
Five men, including the two injured, were arrested after the firing, The Times of India reported. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash identified the two injured men as Sarfaraz and Talim. The three others who were arrested are Mohammed Fahim, Hamid and Afzal.
They are accused in the killing of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, who reportedly died of a gunshot wound on Sunday in Bahraich after clashes between the Hindu and Muslim communities during a Durga idol immersion procession.
The five accused men were taken near the Nepal border to recover weapons, ANI quoted Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Prashant Kumar as saying. Bahraich shares a border with Nepal.
“The two accused [Sarfaraz and Talim] tried to run away,” Kumar said. “As they tried to run away, shots were fired.” He said that the two men were injured in the firing.
On Sunday, the communal clashes in the Mahsi tehsil under the Hardi police station limits erupted after miscreants threw stones and fired gunshots at the procession. The microphone used in the procession was also disconnected.
A total of 26 accused, including the primary suspect identified as Salman, were earlier arrested in connection with Mishra’s killing.
On Monday, hundreds of persons protesting against Mishra’s killing set fire to several properties, including shops. Police used lathis and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Subsequently, internet services were suspended in the district.
Internet services were restored on Thursday, PTI reported.
Earlier in the day, Rukhsar, the sister of Sarfaraz and Faheem, claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force had detained her two brothers, along with her father Abdul Hameed and another man, at 4 pm on Wednesday, India Today reported.
She added that her husband and her brother-in-law were also picked up by the police.
“We have not received any information about them from any police station, and we fear they may be killed in an encounter,” India Today quoted Rukhsar as saying.
The Congress called Thursday’s shooting a “fake encounter” by the police and said it was an attempt by the state government to “cover up” its failure, ANI reported.
“The government has been conducting fake encounters for a long time,” said Congress’ state unit chief Ajai Rai. “They are merely trying to cover up their failures.”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the law and order situation in the state under Chief Minister Adityanath, India Today reported.
“If law and order improved only through encounters, then UP would have progress in many areas by now,” he said. “This is the failure of the government, the police and the administration…All they know is do encounters and scare people.”
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