Bulandshahr violence: UP cop killed in mob attack investigated Dadri lynching case

Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who lost his life in the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, was an investigating officer of the infamous Dadri lynching case, in which a man, Akhlaq, was killed by a mob in 2015 for allegedly storing and consuming beef.

Police Inspector Subodh Kumar has died in the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district. The profusely bleeding inspector was rushed to the Aurangabad community health centre (CHC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

BULANDSHAHR: Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who lost his life in the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, was an investigating officer of the infamous Dadri lynching case, in which a man, Akhlaq, was killed by a violent mob in 2015 for allegedly storing and consuming beef. Uttar Pradesh Police's Additional Director General (ADG) of law and order Anand Kumar said Singh had probed the Dadri lynching case from September 28, 2015 to November 9, 2015. "It is clarified that Subodh Kumar Singh, who died during query Bulandshahr violence was the Investigating officer of Akhlaq lynching case in Dadri from September 28, 2015, till November 9, 2015. The charge-sheet was filled in the case by a different IO in March 2016," ANI quoted the ADG as saying. The postmortem report of Kumar has revealed that the cop died due to bullet injury. He was also attacked with stones and sharp weapons. The violence erupted after Hindu activists went berserk alleging that some cows had been slaughtered by a community. Protesters soon went on a rampage torching a police post and clashing with police, which opened fire to control the situation. Several vehicles and a Police post were also set on fire. Shots were fired by unidentified assailants in which a local youth, Sumit, was hit and he succumbed to his injuries. A Special Investigation Team has been constituted to probe the matter and submit a report to the Uttar Pradesh government at the earliest. Giving details of the incident, ADG Law and Order Anand Kumar said in Lucknow that trouble started after villagers found some body parts of cows in a jungle in Mahaw village. "This morning carcasses of the cows were found dumped in a forest area outside the village. Activists of right-wing organisations soon gathered at the spot and alleged that people of a community were indulging in cow slaughter," he said. 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 State Highway. Bulandshahr District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha, Sub-divisional Magistrate Avinash Kumar Maurya and other senior officials tried to reason with the protestors but they refused to budge. The protesters soon turned violent, pelting stones on policemen and indulging in arson, Jha said, adding that police had to fire gunshots in self-defence. Kumar said the UP government acted swiftly and ordered an SIT probe, besides an inquiry by the ADG intelligence and a magisterial probe. He said that additional reinforcements have been rushed to the spot of violence, and described the situation as under control. The violence started at around 10 am in Siana area in the district where a major three-day Islamic congregation had concluded this afternoon. The policemen warned against attempts to spread any misleading information, saying the incident was not related in any way to the congregation. "The incident occurred 40-50 km away from the congregation site. Some miscreants were behind the violence and action is being taken against them in accordance with law," the Bulandshahr Police tweeted in the evening.