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Uttarakhand police book U.P. cops in shootout case; counter FIR filed
Rudrapur: The Uttarakhand police on Thursday booked at least 10 Uttar Pradesh policemen on charges o murder, after a 28-year-old woman was killed in crossfire during a clash between the UP police and villagers in the neighbouring state late on Wednesday, an official familiar with the matter said
Rudrapur: The Uttarakhand police on Thursday booked at least 10 Uttar Pradesh policemen on charges o murder, after a 28-year-old woman was killed in crossfire during a clash between the UP police and villagers in the neighbouring state late on Wednesday, an official familiar with the matter said. The UP police, however, filed a counter FIR against the villagers for taking hostage, beating, firing at and deterring public servants from performing duties.
The deceased has been identified as Gurjeet Kaur, the wife of local BJP leader Gurtaj Bhullar. Six policemenwere injured in the incident, said an official familiar with the matter.
The incident took place late on Wednesday when a team of the UP police raided Bhullar’s farm house in Bharatpur village of US Nagar district, after receiving a tip off that a wanted criminal, Mohammed Jafar, was hiding there. Jafar carries a bounty of ₹50,000 and is believed to be involved in illegal sand mining mafia, said Manjunath TC, senior superintendent of police (SSP), US Nagar district.
According to the Uttarakhand police, Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad Police officials arrived in Bharatpur in plain clothes and raided Bhullar’s house without informing their counterparts. As they were in plain clothes, Bhullar’s family and the villagers tried to stop them, leading to an exchange of fire, which killed Bhullar’s wife.
“UP Police came here without informing anyone. They were not in uniform, and were not carrying ID cards. Raids are not conducted this way. They entered a house, fired, and a woman lost her life. This is wrong. A case of murder has been registered,” said deputy inspector general of police (Kumaon Range), Nilesh Anand Bharne.
Ten-twelvepolice officials have been booked under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 452 (house-trespass), 504 (intentional insult) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), he added.
BJP leader Bhullar, too, confirmed that about 12 armed men entered their farm house.
“10-12 men armed in plain clothes came in two vehicles around 6.30 pm and entered the farm house. They introduced themselves as UP police personnel from Thakurdwara. They said they have come in search of a man. I objected saying that I am a responsible man and if they want to conduct a search, call our Kunda police too and search,” he said
“Some of them were in a state of booze and tres-pass in the house hurling abuses. They started firing indiscriminately, my wife sustained bullet injury. After firing they tried to flee but villagers who had gathered, they had caught four of them,” he added.
The Moradabad Police, however, said a police team had gone to Uttarakhand on a search operation for a wanted criminal following which they were taken hostage and were fired upon.
“Our police personnel were looking for a wanted criminal, Jafar, who has a bounty for ₹50,000 on his head. Police received information about his presence in Thakurdwara but he sneaked into Bharatpur. He and his companion (people present in the farm house) took our police personnel hostage and fired on them,” said DIG Moradabad, Shalabh Mathur.
Six UP police personnel were injured after being taken hostage by the people present in the farm house. Two of them sustained injuries in firing from the other side, said an official familiar with the matter.
A villager of Bharatpur village, who didn’t wish to be identified, said, “We rushed to the spot on commotion and saw some armed men in plain clothes inside the farm house. Suddenly firing started taking place resulting in the woman’s death.”
In their counter FIR, the Uttar Pradesh police have booked some people on charges of taking hostages, beating, firing and deterring public servants from performing their duties. So far, 14 people, including Jafar’s brother Mohammed Taiyab, have been arrested, said a UP police official.
According to UP police, Taiyab and Jafar run a network of mining mafia and facilitate smuggling via UP borders.
“Our police personnel raided a farmhouse in search of Jafar who was wanted in connection with the hostage of SDM, local mining official and misbehaving with Thakurdwara police. The incident took place in Thakurdwara on September 13. Soon after, the police launched a drive against the mining mafia. Fourteen persons involved in the incident have already been arrested, “ said Mathur.
Meanwhile, soon after Kaur died, angry villagers blocked the National Highway at Kunda Tiraha and allegedly held six UP police officials as hostage. The villagers ended the blockade at 11.15 pm, after DIG Bharne assured them of strict action against the accused.
The officials were released by Kunda police station in-charge Dinesh Fartyal who rushed to the spot with force immediately after instructions from SSP Manjunath. Earlier, SSP of Moradabad Hemant Kutiyal informed about the hostage and sought help to release the UP police personnel.
“UP police personnel didn’t inform their counterpart. As per procedure, police of another district or state have to inform the police concerned area where they launch raids or searches. Had the UP police informed Kunda police or sought help, such a tragic incident wouldn’t have happened,” said Manjunath.
On Thursday, heavy police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) contingents, anti-riot squads were deployed in Kunda to maintain law and order. “Heavy police force has been deployed in Kunda to avoid any untoward situation since morning. Law and order situation is normal,” said US Nagar SSP Manjunath TC.
The deceased’s body was handed over to her relatives after a post-mortem on Thursday, he added.
