Police team attacked in Barabanki; three held, nine booked

Tent house operator, his family attacked the team when cops tried to free a shopkeeper from their captivity; six other named accused escaped after the incident

LUCKNOW Three cops, including a sub-inspector and a woman constable, were attacked with rods, canes and sharp-edged weapons by a tent house operator and his kin following an argument in Mohammadpur Khala area of Barabanki’s Netampur village on Wednesday, said police officials here on Thursday.

Those made accused in the FIR were tent house owner Anwar, his two sons Chhotu and Shanu, his three daughters, Ruby, Rumi, and Subi, his wife Shammo alias Haseena, his sister Zakira and son-in-law Waqeel, the husband of Subi as well as other unidentified people. (Pic for representation)

The cops had reached the place after getting information about an altercation between two traders -- Anwar and Chotelal -- at a fair that was underway at Lalpur Karauta temple in the village.

The dispute was between the tent house owner (Anwar) and a Sitapur resident Chhote Lal, who set up his shop in the mela and had taken some chairs and other things from the tent house on rent. Anwar, a local muscle man, was pressuring Lal to pay some extra amount as some of the chairs were damaged and held him captive, said VK Yadav, inspector in-charge of Mohammadpur police station.

Those injured in the attack were S-I Raja Ram, constable Ankit Butar and woman constable Poonam Sharma. Raja Ram, whose retirement is due later this month, is in a critical condition with head injury, he said. The trio was undergoing treatment at a Barabanki hospital.

Yadav said the tent house owner and his family members attacked the police team when they tried to intervene and free the shopkeeper from their captivity. An FIR was lodged against nine people under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 149 (for offence committed in prosecution of common object), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 332 (voluntarily causing to deter public servant from his duty) 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 504 (insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation), he said.

Yadav said Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act was also slapped against them.

Those made accused in the FIR were tent house owner Anwar, his two sons Chhotu and Shanu, his three daughters, Ruby, Rumi, and Subi, his wife Shammo alias Haseena, his sister Zakira and son-in-law Waqeel, the husband of Subi as well as other unidentified people. He said three accused including Anwar’s wife Shammo, Waqeel and Subi were arrested from the spot while six other named accused escaped after the incident.