At least two persons, including a police inspector, were killed during clashes between police personnel and locals over alleged illegal cow slaughter in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. The deceased were identified as inspector Subodh Kumar, who was posted at Syana Police station, and a 20-year-old youth Sumit.
Sources told Zee News that the protesting villagers, from Mahaw village and nearby areas, vandalised at least 15 vehicles, and even set some of them on fire. The police had to resort to lathicharge and firing into the air to control the crowd.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Anand Kumar, told news agency ANI that reinforcement was rushed to the spot of violence to bring the situation under control. The youth, identified as Sumit, was allegedly killed in the police firing.
थाना स्याना क्षेत्रान्तर्गत पुलिस पर पथराव व चौकी चिंगरावटी में तोड़फोड़ एवं प्रभारी निरीक्षक स्याना की मृत्यु की घटित घटना के संबंध में जिलाधिकारी बुलन्दशहर का आधिकारिक वक्तव्य" #uppolice @Uppolice @adgzonemeerut @igrangemeerut @News18UP pic.twitter.com/koIQshuyf0
— Bulandshahr Police (@bulandshahrpol) December 3, 2018
The police were informed at 11 am on Monday about alleged illegal cow slaughter in the area, following which they rushed to the spot. However, the villagers started protesting and even blocked the roads. They allegedly pelted stones on police personnel.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has constituted a special investigation team to ascertain to real cause of violence. Inspector Subodh Kumar was reportedly injured during stone pelting by villagers and rushed to a nearby hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The trouble started after villagers found some body parts of cow and its progeny in a jungle in Mahaw village. Angry villagers and members of various Hindu groups brought the animal remains in 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 highway.
District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said police and senior officials tried to reason with the protestors but they refused to budge. As Sub-divisional Magistrate Avinash Kumar Maurya arrived on the scene, protesters turned violent, pelting stones on policemen and indulging in arson. According to the District Magistrate, police had to open fire in self-defence.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his grief on the death of the police inspector and the youth in violence in Bulandshahr. He assured a speedy investigation and a compensation package for the victims.
(With PTI Inputs)
