KHIRI MURDER CASE: Gangster Act to be slapped against accused, illegal properties under scanner

He will be suspended from his post as village head and his and his family’s gun licenses will be cancelled, officials said.

The police may soon slap the Gangster Act against Mohd Yunus accused of killing a 16-year-old student allegedly after he objected to the molestation of his minor female cousin in the Khiri area on August 28. Yunus, the village head of Turkpurwa village and four others have been arrested in connection with the murder on August 29.

A resident of Pure Dattu village, the 16-year-old victim had a tiff with some students of his school on August 28. The victim and his minor girl cousin, a student of class nine at the same school, were returning home on bicycles the same evening when the incident happened. (FOR REPRESENTATION)

After slapping the Gangster Act, police will also attach his properties and take further action if it is found that the properties were earned through illegal means.

Moreover, he will be suspended from his post as village head and his and his family’s gun licenses will be cancelled, officials said.

A resident of Pure Dattu village, the 16-year-old victim had a tiff with some students of his school on August 28. The victim and his minor girl cousin, a student of class nine at the same school, were returning home on bicycles the same evening when the incident happened.

As per the FIR lodged by the student’s brother, it is alleged that four youths waylaid the duo near Pure Dattu village, caught the hand of the minor girl and dragged her. They assaulted the victim with wooden planks when he raised an objection to the harassment of his cousin. The 16-year-old student received serious head injuries and succumbed.

Taking immediate action, Prayagraj police commissioner Ramit Sharma suspended the station house officer (SHO) of Khiri police station Naveen Singh and sub-inspector Bappi Soni. Five accused including village head Mohd Yunus were arrested the same night.

Police officials said scanning of the past criminal records of Mohd Yunus revealed that he had some cases registered against him earlier. The Gangster Act will be slapped against the village head and his properties earned through illegal means will be attached after scanning their records. Revenue and officials of other concerned departments are preparing the list of properties owned by Mohd Yunus and their kin.

The officials further said that the licenses of six guns of close relatives of Yunus would be cancelled.

He had a license for a single-barrel gun, but it was cancelled in 2020 as a result of a criminal case against him. Soon, a pistol and a rifle in the name of his close relatives will be cancelled, along with the license for a single barrel in the name of his father. The process of cancellation of firearms will be initiated after receiving a report from Khiri police, they added.

Meanwhile, Yunus will soon be suspended from the post of village head. District Panchayati Raj officials said the process for his suspension has been initiated and he will be removed from his post by next week. A three-member administrative committee will be constituted for development works in the village.