GORAKHPUR: In an effort to bring those involved in the killing of five members of a family in Deoria’s Fatehpur village to justice, the local police unit arrested four more suspects from various locations on Wednesday. This development brings the total number of arrests in the case to 20, while seven identified suspects remain at large.
Earlier, on Monday, chaos engulfed Fatehpur village in Deoria following the murder of former zila panchayat member Prem Chand Yadav, allegedly by Satya Prakash Dubey in a dispute over land. In retaliation, the Yadavs took the law into their own hands, killing five members of the Dubey family. The situation escalated as a mob vandalised vehicles and set cattle sheds ablaze.
Circle officer Rudrapur, Jeela Ji, emphasised that an intensive search for the remaining accused and eyewitnesses involved in the murders is underway.
Where is Sadhu Dubey?
The absence of Sadhu Dubey, also known as Gyan Prakash Dubey, who had sold the disputed property to Prem Chand Yadav without family approval, remains a mystery. Sudheer Pandey, the brother-in-law of the deceased Satya Prakash Dubey, raised questions about Sadhu Dubey’s whereabouts and demanded his location be traced.
According to Sudheer Pandey, Sadhu Dubey was mentally challenged and worked as a servant in Prem Chand Yadav’s house, tending to cattle and performing odd jobs. It was Sadhu who sold his property in 2014 and shifted to Gujarat for a few years. Later, his elder brother Satya Prakash Dubey filed a civil suit against the sale of the property, said Sudheer.
{{/usCountry}}According to Sudheer Pandey, Sadhu Dubey was mentally challenged and worked as a servant in Prem Chand Yadav’s house, tending to cattle and performing odd jobs. It was Sadhu who sold his property in 2014 and shifted to Gujarat for a few years. Later, his elder brother Satya Prakash Dubey filed a civil suit against the sale of the property, said Sudheer.
{{/usCountry}}Sudheer Pandey also called upon the state government to provide support to the surviving sons of Satya Prakash Dubey, including education assistance and potential government employment opportunities.
Political background of Prem Chand Yadav
Shila Yadav, the widow of Prem Chand Yadav, has denied the claim that Sadhu is mentally challenged. She also revealed that her late husband entered politics in 2007 and had even secured his mother’s election as the village head in 2010. Gradually, he gained local popularity and influence, eventually becoming a Zila Panchayat Member in Deoria in 2015. Subsequently, he ventured into real estate as a profession.
27 people named in 2 FIRs
Two FIRs have been filed in connection with the violence. The first was filed by the deceased Satya Prakash Dubey’s daughter, Shobhita Dubey, under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace). The second, a cross FIR, was lodged by Anirudh Yadav, the uncle of the late Prem Chand Yadav, under IPC sections 302, 307, 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), and 149 (unlawful assembly). In total, 27 individuals have been named in both FIRs.
Land dispute & demolition plans
Two teams from the revenue department have completed the land demarcation process related to the property of the deceased Prem Chand Yadav. SDM Yogesh Kumar confirmed that Prem Chand Yadav’s house was constructed on a portion of land belonging to the Gram Samaj. Additionally, three more houses on the Gram Samaj’s land have been identified for demolition, though the police have emphasised that their primary concern is restoring peace.
‘Using bulldozer would only divert attention’
Amidst speculation regarding the demolition of the multi-story building owned by the late Zila Panchayat member Prem Chand Yadav in Fatehpur village, Amitabh Thakur, president of Azad Adhikar Sena and a former IPS officer, arrived in the troubled village. Thakur asserted that using a bulldozer to demolish the house would only divert attention from the root problem. He also urged authorities to ensure that innocent individuals are not falsely implicated in the cases related to the tragic events of Monday.