BULANDSHAHR: The Uttar Police have termed as "conspiracy" the Bulandshahr violence, in which a violent mob clashed with police over reports of alleged cattle slaughter. The incident claimed two lives, including of a police inspector. The police said they are investigating the incident as a conspiracy as to why cow carcasses were found on December 3, three days ahead of the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. UP Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh on Wednesday said It was not merely a law and order issue.

The mob violence broke out after carcasses were found strewn in a jungle. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and 20-year-old Sumit Kumar were killed in the violence.

With lakhs of people collected for a 'Tabligi Ijtema' (congregation of Muslims) 40 km from Mahaw village where the skeletal remains were found, police also succeeded in containing what could have been a communal riot, the DGP said.

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"We are not only seeing it as a law and order issue. It was a conspiracy and we are probing why the particular day - December 3 - and place on which the cows were slaughtered and their remains spread in the field were selected," Singh told PTI.

He said two FIRs have been filed. "One FIR is about cow slaughter and the other is on the violence. The probe is on both the matters," he said. Those named in the FIRs will not be spared, the DGP declared. "We have asked the Special Task Force (STF) to identify those behind this incident as those behind the conspiracy should be booked," he said.

Asked whether it was an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere ahead of the demolition anniversary, the DGP said, "We are looking at all angles, including the selection of place (for cow slaughter) and timing of the incident."

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"Police succeeded in containing what could have been a communal riot. The situation could have been worse if local police not responded timely as lakhs of people were present at the venue of 'Tabligi Ijtema', which was about 40 km from the spot," he said. Though the congregation ended on December 2, over six lakh people were present on December 3 when the violence broke out, he said.

The DGP said he directed officials for a thorough probe in the incident and instructed them to take stringent action against people involved in cow slaughter.

(With inputs from PTI)