Five Bahraich murder suspects held after encounter with UP cops, 2 hurt in gunfire

Five suspects in the killing of a man that triggered violence in Bahraich were arrested here on Thursday after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police, in which two of them suffered gunshot injuries, a senior official said.

The five, accused of fomenting communal tension during a Durga Puja procession and killing a 22-year-old man, were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich district in UP, the official added.

The gunfight took place in the Hada Basehari area under the Nanpara police station limits near the Nepal border, according to the official. Hada Basehari is around 15 km from Rupaidiha — a transit point between India and Nepal.

“Five suspects have been arrested,” ADGP (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash told a news channel. He added: “I have information of exchange of fire and gunshot injuries.”

Yash, who is also the chief of the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police, said the Bahraich police, investigating the murder and subsequent violence, has already established the link of one of the suspects in Nepal.

He told another news channel that two of the suspects injured in the encounter were in a stable condition. DGP Prashant Kumar said those arrested had been identified as Mohammad Faheen, Mohammad Sarfaraz and Abdul Hameed, who are named as accused in the FIR — and two others, Mohammad Taleem, alias Sabloo, and Mohd Afzal.

According to Kumar, a police team arrested Faheen and Taleem. Acting on the information given by the duo, the team went to recover the weapon used in the murder in the Nanpara area, however, it came under fire from Hameed, Sarfaraz and Afzal. In retaliatory firing, Sarfaraz and Taleem were injured.

Violence broke out in Maharajganj in the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich district on Sunday allegedly over loud music being played outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession.

A local, Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, part of the passing group, died of gunshot wounds in the ensuing violence, triggering vandalism and arson in the area with mobs torching several houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals and vehicles.

The incident has triggered a political slugfest with the opposition Congress and SP questioning the legitimacy of the police operation. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the style of working of the state police and accused the BJP government of “ruining” the force. He said, that whenever there is an investigation, action will be taken against the guilty policemen and they will go to jail.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai said, “The authenticity of this encounter as those before this is suspected. These encounters appear to be mere face-saving acts aimed at diverting public attention.”