Four people have been arrested over violence in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. The protests, which were reportedly over police inaction after repeated complaints of illegal slaughterhouses, claimed two lives, a police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh as well as a youth named Sumit. Contrary to media reports, the police clarified that the main accused Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj has still not been arrested till now.
Anand Kumar, ADG(L&O): Four people have been arrested. I don’t know about the organizations yet, but the main accused in the violence is Yogesh Raj who has not been arrested till now #Bulandshahr pic.twitter.com/NsQlDyWZxe
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 4, 2018
Congress leader Kapil Sibal, commenting on the death of the police officer expressed shock that a mob had killed a police officer investigating the case.
Kapil Sibal, Congress : It’s a shocking state of affairs how a mob killed a police officer investigating the Akhlaq case. Who gives these people the authority to take law in their hands? Instead of taking care of his state Yogi is going to Telangana & spewing venom. #Bulandshahr pic.twitter.com/ENUCCe5f2g
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2018
Singh’s sister, too, alleged conspiracy by the police to kill his brother since he was investigating Akhlaq case. She also demanded that Singh be declared a martyr and a memorial be built in his name.
Sister of Policeman Subodh Singh:My brother was investigating Akhlaq case&that is why he was killed,its a conspiracy by Police.He should be declared martyr and memorial should be built. We do not want money. CM only keeps saying cow cow cow. #Bulandshahr pic.twitter.com/ohILXKCj3w
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 4, 2018
However, the inspector, Subodh Kumar Singh was only the initial investigating officer till 9th November 2015 in the Dadri mob lynching case which took place on 28th September 2015. Eventually, he was transferred to Varansari and the charge sheet was filed in March 2016 by a different investigating officer. Media reports suggest he was accused of biased investigation due to which he was transferred. Singh was not investigating the case when he was killed in mob violence yesterday.
Today, the police has clarified that there is no merit in the allegations that the policeman was slain because of his connection to the Akhlaq case. They have also denied reports of any sort of connivance of the police as alleged by the family.
The police has also lodged two separate FIRs in the current case, one against the alleged cattle slaughter and another against the protests which followed. A total of 27 people have been named and 60 unnamed persons are also mentioned in the FIRs. The police is currently probing the matter and raids are being conducted to arrest the accused.
Rapid Action Force has been deployed in Bulandshahr and section 144 which prevents unlawful assembly of more than four people in an area has been imposed. As reported by ABP News, a retired army soldier is believed to have shot inspector Singh.
On Monday, protesters gathered outside a police station claiming that they had discovered carcasses of cows in their locality. Angered with police inaction even after repeated complaints, they clashed with the police.
Things took violent turn after the police opened fire at the protesters. It is claimed that the police was forced to open fire after the protesters attacked them with stones. In the chaos, inspector Subodh Kumar Singh lost his life. A youth, Sumit, too, succumbed to injuries.
In a press conference held today, the police gave an update on the investigations. They said that the main accused Yogesh Raj’s family was also questioned in attempts to track him. They also asserted that the situation in Bulandshahar is now inching towards normalcy and they are to submit the SIT report in 48 hours.
