The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 26 more suspects in connection with the communal violence in Bahraich that erupted after a man was killed during Durga Puja celebrations on October 13.
The total number of arrests has risen to 87 as the police crackdown continues, officials said. The Maharajganj area remained tense on Saturday, though commercial activities and traffic movement gradually resumed from Friday evening. Heavy police and security forces continue to be deployed in the area.
A 22-year-old man, Ram Gopal Mishra, was killed by gunshot injuries after a dispute over loud music being played outside a place of worship in Maharajganj on October 13. The communal violence that followed saw incidents of arson, vandalism, and stone pelting, with internet services suspended for days.
“With today’s arrests, a total of 87 people from both communities have been detained so far. By Thursday night, the police had arrested 61 individuals, including six accused in the killing of Mishra,” a police official told news agency PTI.
Around a dozen FIRs have been registered in the district, and hundreds of unidentified rioters have been charged, according to officials. Cases were registered against around 1,000 people, including six named individuals.
On Thursday, October 17, two main accused in the violence were shot during an encounter. The accused, Sarfaraz and Taleem, who were involved in the killing of Ram Gopal Mishra, were shot while fleeing to Nepal, according to the police.
A demolition notice was issued for one of the main accused, Abdul Hameed’s house, stating it was illegally constructed on government land. In fear of bulldozer action, shopkeepers began dismantling their shops and evacuating on their own.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was held at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Saturday to review the situation. State top cop Prashant Kumar, Assistant Director General of Police (ADGP) Amitabh Yash, and Home Secretary Deepak Kumar were present at the meeting, which also discussed why the police failed to prevent the violence.
A station house officer (SHO) and a police outpost in-charge have been suspended in the wake of the communal violence, while Circle Officer Rupendra Gaur, Tehsildar Ravikant Dwivedi, and District Information Officer Ghulam Waris Siddiqui have been removed from their positions.