Inquiry ordered into violence at idol immersion in Basti, SI suspended

Police said that violence erupted after a girl, identified as Shaloo, was injured by a generator van that was moving along with the idol for the immersion.

A police inquiry has been ordered into violence that erupted during immersion of goddess Laxmi idol in Muderwa town of district Basti on the wee hours of Saturday.

Inquiry ordered into violence at idol immersion in Basti, SI suspended (File)

Police said that violence erupted after a girl, identified as Shaloo, was injured by a generator van that was moving along with the idol for the immersion.

A police inquiry has been ordered into the incident. A police sub inspector has been suspended while two others have been sent to police lines, SP Basti Ashish Srivastava confirmed.

The violence followed after some cops reportedly objected to the slow pace at which those accompanying the idol for procession were moving and ordered them to gather pace.

Locals blamed this move by the police responsible for the girl’s injury and staged a protest after forcing the procession to come to a halt. Locals claimed that after a while some people got violent and even manhandled a police sub inspector.

This cop then informed the police station in-charge who rushed additional police force to the spot. Police also resorted to a lathi charge after some people pelted stones at them.

Senior police officials including additional superintendent of police Dipendra Nath Choudhary and circle officer Priti Kharwar tried to pacify the angry crowd but protestors refused to budge unless ‘guilty’ cops were suspended.

Later, superintendent of police, Basti, Ashish Srivastava suspended sub inspector Diwaker Yadav and attached head constable Amar Nath Yadav and Amar Jeet Yadav to district police line. He also set up an inquiry and deployed extra police force in the town.

In another incident, some people tore up uniform of two police constables in Chauri Chaura town of Gorakhpur district. This happened after the two cops stopped some motorcyclists from rash driving. Police registered a case against 6 miscreants.

Abdur Rahman