A 22-year-old man was killed and several were injured in Kanpur during a clash between two communities that started after the victim accidentally splashed water on the accused, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday. Six people have been arrested in connection with the violence so far.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the man’s family and directed authorities to invoke the stringent National Security Act against the accused.
The police said the incident took place on Sunday in Wajidpur Colony in Chakeri area of the city. The victim, identified as Pintu Nishad, was out on a walk with his friend Sandeep when he inadvertently stepped on a water pouch. The water splashed on one Faiz, a resident from the same area who was passing through, triggering a clash between them.
As per the first information report registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, an angry Faiz, along with his associates, started abusing Nishad. When he objected, they beat him with cane sticks. “A village resident, Ram Naresh, saw this and informed us,” the family said in their complaint. “We all rushed to the spot and saw that the accused were beating them up with canes, bricks and stones.”
Superintendent of Police (East) Raj Agarwal told the newspaper that by the time the police reached the spot, the accused had escaped. “At the spot, we found at least six persons and they were taken to the hospital,” he added. “While the rest had minor injuries, Pintu had suffered a serious injury on his head. He was declared dead on arrival.”
The FIR named Faiz Mohammad, Amaan, Farman, Lala, Mohammad Alam, Imran, Iqbal, Talib, Bablu, Meraj, Mohsin and at least five other unidentified men for rioting, murder, breach of peace and criminal intimidation.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kanpur Nagar) Preetinder Singh, said that six persons – Sarfaraz, Mohsin, Meraj, Faiz, Farman and a woman – have been arrested so far. He added that while the accused and the victim live close to each other, the police have not come to know of any old enmity between them.
The clashes sparked tensions between the two communities living in the area by Sunday evening. Police personnel, including the Provincial Armed Constabulary, have been deployed in large numbers to control the situation.
Superintendent Agarwal said that Nishad’s family initially refused to cremate the body and held demonstrations, alleging that several Muslim families were illegally living in the colony.
“On the complaint, the divisional commissioner has formed a three-member committee to look into the allegations and find out if families other than those who have been allotted the houses are living in the colony,” the police official added, following which the family agreed to perform the last rites of Nishad.
The three members in the committee include zonal officer of Kanpur Development Authority, zonal officer of Nagar Nigam and a magistrate.
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