Man ‘shot’ dead in violence during immersion procession in Bahraich

The incident took place when the procession, which was taken out from Rehua Mansoor village, reached the Maharajganj area of the district under Hardi police station limits

Tension prevailed in Bahraich where a man was allegedly shot dead after individuals from a community opened fire and pelted people participating in an idol immersion procession with stones, in Bahraich district on Sunday evening, police said.

According to sources, the participants were chanting slogans when some individuals allegedly began pelting people with stones. (Sourced)

The incident took place when the procession, which was taken out from Rehua Mansoor village, reached the Maharajganj area of the district under Hardi police station limits. After the incident, idol processions in several areas of Bahraich were stopped even as many gathered at the Bahraich Medical College, where the man was hospitalised, to protest.

According to sources, the participants were chanting slogans when some individuals from a particular community allegedly began pelting people with stones.

The situation worsened as some people reportedly opened fire on the crowd during which one Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, of Rehua Mansoor, suffered a bullet wound. He was rushed to the Bahraich Medical College, where he succumbed to his injuries, officials said.

Confirming the incident, additional director general (ADG) (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said the man apparently died after suffering a bullet injury and a postmortem examination was being conducted to ascertain the actual cause of his death. He said additional police personnel had been rushed to Bahraich to ensure that no further law-and-order issue arose. He said director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar and other senior state government authorities had been informed about the incident.

The news of Mishra’s death sparked an outrage among locals who vandalised vehicles and set four houses on fire, officials said. Mishra’s family members and others organised a sit-in protest with his body in front of the medical college. Despite the presence of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel and officials from multiple police stations deployed to diffuse the situation, there was unrest in the area.

Idol immersions in multiple areas, including Fakharpur, Ramgaon and Kaiserganj, were temporarily halted.