Police should have been more prepared: Akhilesh Yadav on Mathura clashes

Mathura: Amid the ongoing blamegame over the heartwrenching clashes in Mathura, the Samajwadi party is facing red from the opposition, who is questioning the law and order situation in the state.   CM Akhilesh Yadav on the other hand has shifted the entire blame on the cops.  Akhilesh said that “police should have been more prepared  before trying to evict the agitators, who had encroached on the land.” He added “It is quite unfortunate that such an incident happened in Mathura. The police had gone there to warn the people and the incident happened while they were doing the recce. They did not know how much arms and ammunition the locals had with them at the time.”   “The people there were squatting on the government's property. The police should have gone ahead with full preparation, as they clearly did not know about the cache of ammunition that the locals had with them at the time," Akhilesh added.   Clarrifying on the state government’s role in the entire incident, he added that “the state government tried to speak to the people and had also warned them of dire consequences but the locals still chose violence.”   The Chief Minister also ruled out a CBI probe, saying that an investigation would be conducted only at the Commissioner-level and action will be taken against the guilty following the probe.   The Chief Minister had earlier ordered an inquiry into the incident and also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 20 lakh to the family of deceased policemen. The death toll in yesterday's Mathura clash has risen to 22. Those killed include Mathura Superintendent of Police (City) Mukul Dwivedi, Farah Police Station SHO Santosh Yadav and 20 protesters. More than 40 people have been injured in the incident.   The cops have cleared the entire area and have launched a manhunt to catch the culprits.