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‘Delay in probe’: Kin of Sainthli murder victims stage protest
They alleged that despite repeated assurances from police officials, the main accused were still absconding, nearly a week after the incident.
The families of the two men who were allegedly shot dead on October 20 staged a protest outside the office of the Gautam Budh Nagar police commissioner at Surajpur on Friday, alleging delay in the arrest of “key suspects” in the case.
Demanding swift action, the family members insisted on meeting the commissioner to press for the arrest of the accused. They alleged that despite repeated assurances from police officials, the main accused were still absconding, nearly a week after the incident.
The incident took place on the night of Diwali, when a dispute over a drainage channel turned violent. According to police, Ajaypal Bhati and his nephew Dipanshu Bhati, both residents of Sainthli village, were shot dead following an altercation with their neighbours.
Based on the complaint lodged by Ajaypal’s brother Dhara Singh, a case was registered against several neighbours, including Prince Bhati, Bobby Tomar, and Manoj Nagar.
Police said that on Thursday, one of the accused, Nikhil Barhela (25), a resident of Kot village, was arrested near Anandpur village culvert. Police officers also seized a white Swift (which didn’t have a registration plate), a country-made pistol, and two live cartridges from him.
Investigations said Nikhil had fired shots during the incident, and the seized vehicle was used in the crime.
However, despite the arrest, the families of the deceased have expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, claiming that the “main conspirators” were still at large.
“We are actively pursuing all those involved in the case. One of the accused has already been arrested. A total of five dedicated police teams are conducting raids at several possible hideouts across different districts to ensure that the remaining suspects are apprehended at the earliest. We are closely monitoring every lead,” said Somesh Kumar, station house officer (SHO) at Jarcha.
