A 50-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death during a violent clash between two families in Shahjahanpur’s Katra area in Uttar Pradesh late on Sunday night following a dispute over a minor’s alleged elopement with a youth from the neighbourhood, police said.
Nine people from both sides were injured in the incident, videos of which surfaced on Monday. Five people, including two women, have been detained in connection with the incident, superintendent of police (rural) Diksha Bhavre said.
Police have registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide, along with provisions relating to assault and abuse.
The deceased, Ramesh, was the uncle of Ranjit who was accused of taking the girl away on October 3. According to the police, the two families had been at loggerheads since the incident.
On Sunday night, members of the two families, whose houses are located around 100 metres apart, confronted each other over the issue. The altercation soon escalated into violence, with both sides allegedly attacking each other with sticks and pelting stones. Ramesh sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital where he died.
Videos of the incident that went viral on Monday purportedly showed members of both groups fighting and throwing stones at each other.
{{/usCountry}}Videos of the incident that went viral on Monday purportedly showed members of both groups fighting and throwing stones at each other.
{{/usCountry}}According to Ramesh’s brother Govind, Ranjit’s relationship with the girl had begun around six months ago. He claimed that his family had approached the girl’s relatives and asked them to counsel her. However, the girl’s family allegedly did not pay heed to their concerns.
Govind said the girl’s family subsequently lodged an FIR against seven or eight people. His family later recovered the girl and handed her over to the police, who sent her to a women’s shelter. During the recording of her statement, the girl reportedly told the authorities that she had gone with the youth of her own free will.
Govind alleged that girl’s family had attacked three of his brothers on October 15. He said the family submitted a complaint at local police station but no action was taken.
According to Govind, Ramesh was in market on Saturday night when the girl’s brother attacked him with a cleaver (a traditional sharp-edged weapon). Hearing the commotion, family members rushed to the spot, where other members of the girl’s family allegedly attacked them with sticks and pelted stones.
Govind, his brother Naresh, sister-in-law Hema, niece Bhuri and nephew Amit were among those injured, he said. Three people from the girl’s side were also injured.