Mob violence in Bulandshahr
Chaos erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr on Monday over protests against alleged illegal slaughterhouses in the area. The violent protests in the region claimed the lives of two people, a police inspector who had probed the Akhlaq lynching case initially and a civilian. As tension prevailed in the area following the violence that lasted nearly three hours, the Uttar Pradesh government deployed additional police, including over 1,000 personnel of anti-riot forces, and ordered multiple probes -- by SIT, ADG-Intelligence -- and a magisterial inquiry. Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Rajasthan for election campaign, said strict action will be taken against the guilty after the probe reports are received. The Uttar Pradesh government has announced Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family of deceased policeman.
Bulandshahr Violence | Here are the key developments
1. The protests began after a group of people reportedly found the purported carcass of a cow in the field and blocked a road in the area. Following this, a police team reached the spot and attempted to get the road open.
2. Activists of right-wing organisations soon gathered at the spot and alleged that people of a community were indulging in cow slaughter, according to the ADG (Law and Order).
ALSO READ | Two, including cop, dead in protest over illegal slaughterhouse; SIT constituted to probe incident
3. Angry villagers and members of various Hindu groups brought the animal remains in a tractor-trolley to the Chingarwathi Police Chowki and demanded action against the culprits. They raised slogans against the police administration and blocked the Bulandshahr-Garh State Highway.
Additional Director General of Meerut zone, Prashant Kumar said that a mob pelted the police with stones and indulged in arson setting several vehicles and the Chingarwathi Police Chowki on fire.
4. Bulandshahr District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha, Sub-divisional Magistrate Avinash Kumar Maurya and other senior officials tried to reason with the protestors but they refused to budge.
5. The protesters soon turned violent, pelting stones on policemen and indulging in arson, forcing the cops to retaliate with lathi-charge as well as in a bid to disperse the mob. After this, the mob vandalised the police station and also set ablaze a couple of police vehicles.
6. Though some officials earlier said the inspector died after he was hit by a blunt object, the post-mortem report said he was hit by a bullet.
7. The deceased inspector has been identified as Subodh Verma, who was wounded in the attack and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. On the other hand, Verma’s assistant, who was also grievously injured, was undergoing treatment at a local hospital. 20-year-old local youth Sumit was also allegedly killed in the violence.
Cop who probed Akhlaq lynching case among 2 killed
8. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was posted at the Siana Police Station, suffered a gunshot injury in addition to wounds from hard and blunt objects, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, citing post-mortem report. Inspector Singh was investigating officer in the Akhlaq lynching case of Dadri between September 28, 2015 and November 9, 2015.
9. Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Rajasthan for election campaign, said strict action will be taken against the guilty after the probe reports are received. He also said financial assistance would be extended to the affected persons.
Bulandshahr: Mob goes on rampage after cow slaughter reports
The Congress hit out at the chief minister saying he should first set his own house in order before "gallivanting" around the country for election campaign.
10. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh government announced Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family.
