Bahraich victim’s wife demands ‘death’ to killers; PWD gives notice of demolition to accused

The wife of the man shot dead in Bahraich on Friday said she will get justice only when her husband’s killers are dead, while the PWD served a notice to one of the accused to remove the “illegal” construction.

Roli Mishra also accused the authorities of taking bribes to deny “justice” to her.

The wife of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, who was killed in a gun attack in Bahraich on Sunday, in a message on social media said, “We want justice, but we are being denied it. Authorities have taken bribes.”

She said her husband’s killers, though nabbed, were yet to be killed.

“We have been shown that they have got bullet wounds on their legs, but justice is not being done to us,” Roli Mishra said.

Kailash Nath Mishra, the father of Ram Gopal, who spoke to journalists on Friday, said he was satisfied with his meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

“We are satisfied. We got what we demanded from the chief minister,” he said.

The CM, Kailash Nath said, promised the family money to build a house, a job for his daughter-in-law, some cash, and an Ayushman card (health insurance cover).

“What else is there to say, he has promised us all the facilities. But we demand our son’s killer must suffer the same fate,” he said.

However, earlier in the day, Kailash Nath threatened suicide if justice was not done to the family.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department carried out inspections in the Maharajganj area and took measurements of 20-25 houses, including that of Abdul Hameed, one of the accused.

An official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Every year routine action is taken to demolish houses built on the intersections, S curves or junction points of the road, which obstruct the view from the other side. Around 20-25 such illegal houses have been identified in Maharajganj, to which we are going to issue notices under the Road Control Act 1964.”

According to the notice put up at Abdul Hameed’s house, the PWD said the construction was “illegal” since it was built within 60 feet of the central point of the road in rural areas, which is not allowed.

“Therefore, you are hereby notified that if this construction has been carried out with the prior approval of the District Magistrate, Bahraich, or the concerned department, please provide the original copy of the approval immediately.

“Additionally, you are required to remove the said illegal construction within three days. Otherwise, the illegal construction will be removed with the assistance of the police and administration, and the expenses incurred for this action will be recovered from you through revenue means,” it read.

BJP MLA Sureshwar Singh from the Mahsi assembly constituency said after the “killers’” arrest, it was time for “another action”.

“The administration has pasted a demolition notice on the illegally constructed house of the main accused Abdul Hameed, the next action will be seen very soon,” he said, indicating a demolition.

Ram Gopal Mishra was part of a Durga idol procession passing through the Maharajganj area on Sunday when he was shot during a Hindu-Muslim confrontation.

A video which circulated after the incident showed him removing a green flag from the rooftop of a house in a frenzy and supplanting it with a saffron flag. He was shot immediately afterwards.

The district teetered on edge for days in the wake of the killing with incidents of arson and vandalism witnessed from across its areas.

Five men suspected to be involved in Mishra’s death were arrested on Thursday after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police in which two of them suffered gunshot injuries.

The five were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich.

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.

Director General of Police Prashant Kumar had on Thursday identified those arrested as Mohammad Faheen, Mohammad Sarfaraz and Abdul Hameed, who are named in the FIR.

Two others, Mohammad Taleem alias Sabloo and Mohammad Afzal, were nabbed later.

According to Kumar, a police team arrested Faheen and Taleem who gave the location of the weapon used in the crime in the Nanpara area.

However, when a team went to the spot to collect it, it came under fire from Hameed, Sarfaraz, and Afzal.

In retaliatory firing, Sarfaraz and Taleem were injured.

“They are being treated. The weapon used in the murder has been recovered,” police said.