Dalit teen killed, 2 injured in community clash
The teenager was incidentally caught in the clash when he was returning home after completing his Class 10 examination.
Lucknow/ Meerut: A 17-year-old Dalit student was shot dead, and two others were injured during a clash over illegal possession of Gram Samaj land in a village under the Milak police station limits of Rampur district on Tuesday evening, confirmed senior police officials on Wednesday.
The villagers alleged that the teenager, identified as Sumesh Kumar, was killed in a police firing. The two injured were identified as Raman Singh and Rahees Pal.
Sharing details, a police official said the clash occurred between two groups in Silai Baragaon village in Milak police station limits on Tuesday evening when revenue officials’ team along with the police force tried to remove the board, having Dr BR Ambedkar photograph, installed on the land. He said a group of Dalit community had possession over the land on which another group of backward community had objection.
He added the backward community complained the matter to the sub-divisional magistrate and tehsildar concerned of the area following which the possession of Dalit community was removed around 15 days ago but the board having Dr BR Ambedkar photograph was again installed after which the revenue officials revisited there to remove it.
He said the teenager was incidentally caught in the clash when he was returning home after completing his Class 10 examination. He was killed during the clash, and two others injured were rushed to the hospital, where their condition was reported to be stable.
After approximately six hours of deadlock, family members cremated the body under tight security. The protest concluded when senior police officials, including divisional commissioner Aujaneya Kumar Singh and deputy inspector general Muniraj G, reached the spot and pacified the agitated family members and villagers.
“The situation in the village is under control. The deceased’s family is involved in labour work, and we have assured them of all the help,” the official stated.
Rampur SP Rajesh Dwivedi, however, said that it had not been confirmed yet how the teenager was shot and by whom. “The matter will be probed. As the victim’s father, Genda Lal, has registered a complaint against one Surendra Singh and 25 other unidentified individuals, including police personnel, action will be taken accordingly after the investigation. Whoever is found guilty will be punished,” he said.
The DC said the one faction was trying to install a board with the picture of Ambedkar and wanted to install his statue on the land. “They also demanded the land to be turned into a park in Ambedkar’s name, he said. However, the other faction opposed the same and claimed the land belonged to gram samaj, leading to a clash, he said.
He further added the matter was under probe and the victim’s family had many demands, but police’s priority was to conduct the post-mortem and to ascertain how the incident happened. He said action would be taken against those found guilty.
Rampur DM, Joginder Singh said that investigation was underway and stern action would be taken against those found responsible for the incident.
Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad also reached the village, evading the arrangements made to stop him at Sambhal, and met with the bereaved family of the deceased boy and those injured and admitted in the hospital.
Meanwhile, the SFI, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar unit staged a protest on university campus against the killing of the Dalit student. “This incident highlighted the heightened atrocities faced by Dalits in Uttar Pradesh and we stood in solidarity with Dalit community,” they said.
The SFI BBAU unit demanded that perpetrators must be arrested immediately and dealt with strict legal action.
(With inputs from agency)
