Sonbhadra killings: Police name 51 people, including village head and his brothers, in chargesheet

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday named 51 people in a chargesheet filed in connection with the killing of 11 Adivasi farmers in Sonbhadra district’s Umbha village in July, The Indian Express reported. The Adivasis were attacked by a village head and his associates on July 17 over a land dispute. The police had later arrested 65 people.

The chargesheet, filed in a local court in Sonbhadra, said village head Yagyadutt Bhuriya, his brothers Nidhidutt, Devdutt and a person named Vijay shot at the Adivasis. After Nidhidutt was injured, another person named Neeraj Raj took over. The police named suspended Superintendent of Bhadohi Railway Station, Komal Singh, the key conspirator in the case. He called the Bhuriya brothers several times on the day of the incident, the chargesheet added.

Of the 65 people who were arrested, the police found no evidence against 10 and are yet to file charges against four people. The chargesheet was filed based on evidence and statements from 123 people, Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police Prabhakar Chaudhary told The Indian Express.

“The role of 59 people has come to light,” Chaudhary said. “Fifty-five of them have been arrested and four others are on the run. On Monday, we filed the chargesheet against 51 in a local court of Sonbhadra. The court has fixed October 24 for taking cognizance of the chargesheet.”

The charges include rioting, murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy. The police have also invoked sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Arms Act.

The incident had triggered a political controversy with the Congress and Samajwadi Party criticising the Adityanath-led administration over the incident. Adityanath, on the other hand, accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for the incident.

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