On 25th November (Saturday), the United College of Engineering and Research suspended its first-year engineering student, Lareb Hashmi who brutally hacked a bus conductor with a cleaver on Friday morning. The criminal incident took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj after a dispute over a ticket fare broke out. Additionally, Prayagraj Police has clarified that the reports doing rounds of the conductor’s death are fake.
As per reports, the victim was identified as Harikesh Vishwakarma. He was rushed to hospital for medical treatment as he had suffered grievous injuries to his neck and body. Taking to X, Police Commissionerate Prayagraj shared official details about the case clarifying that the injured conductor is receiving treatment at SRN Hospital in Prayagraj. It stressed that reports of his death doing rounds on social media are fake.
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE PRAYAGRAJ (@prayagraj_pol) November 25, 2023
Regarding the disciplinary action against the murder accused Hashmi, the College principal (Dean) HP Shukla said that Hashmi was a quiet student who often sat alone. According to the Dean, Hashmi often did not respond to questions and never engaged in conversations with others. However, the college faculty never thought such an incident would occur.
Meanwhile, the university students staged a protest following the criminal incident and demanded strict action against Hashmi. The students stressed that their parents were concerned for their safety and were not allowing them to attend college following the brutal incident involving one of their students.
They also alleged that the college authorities were responsible for the incident. Several Hindu outfits also staged a demonstration at the college demanding that strict action should be initiated against students with extremist ideologies.
According to police officials, Hashmi attempted to evade the arrest and entered a college campus. From there he recorded and uploaded a video confessing to the crime of attacking the conductor. However, in his confession video, Hashmi ‘justified’ the brutal attack and alleged that the victim had committed ‘blasphemy’.
In a confession video, Hashmi could be heard saying, “(The bus conductor) was abusing Muslims. So I attacked him with a cleaver. He will not survive. He will be dead soon. From India to France, whoever insults our Prophet will be exterminated.”
“We are ready to die for you and go to jail, O Prophet Muhammad. Dear Muslims, rise about this world’s materialism and be ready to sacrifice your life for the Prophet,” Lareb Hashmi went on to abuse the victim with the choicest of expletives.
However, he was caught in an encounter after being shot in the leg. Following his arrest, the police officials cleared the air and denied his allegations. The police said a 20-year-old man, identified as Lareb Hashmi, reportedly attacked a bus conductor in Uttar Pradesh state’s Prayagraj with a cleaver following a dispute over ticket fare.
While speaking about the matter, DCP (Yamunanagar) Abhinav Tyagi informed, “Following the incident, the accused was arrested by the police and a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered. Further investigation is underway.”
