E-Paper
A year of political murders: BSP worst sufferer
The year 2005 may have been a mixture of happiness, hope and despair for the denizens, but one imprint they will take long time to erase from their memory is the type of gory incidents they were forced to witness. What was more appalling was the unprecedented number of political killings for which 2005 will be remembered for a long time. As many as ten political heads rolled in the district this year. If Kaushambi is added to the list this number goes up to twelve.
The year 2005 may have been a mixture of happiness, hope and despair for the denizens, but one imprint they will take long time to erase from their memory is the type of gory incidents they were forced to witness.
What was more appalling was the unprecedented number of political killings for which 2005 will be remembered for a long time. As many as ten political heads rolled in the district this year. If Kaushambi is added to the list this number goes up to twelve. Of the main political parties Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was the biggest sufferer. The party lost five important leaders. They were all victims of political vendetta. Cop's role came in for sharp criticism especially for their biased approach in dealing with the murders of BSP leaders.
Initially, the year began with much fanfare but the jolt came in the last week of the first month when the newly elected BSP MLA from City West, Raju Pal fell to the assassins' bullets in broad day light in Dhumanganj area.
Angry BSP men took to streets, fought pitched battle with cops and indulged in arson for two days forcing the residents to remain indoors. A BSP activist even lost his life during the violence. SP MP Ateeq Ahmad, his brother Ashraf were named in the FIR. Though nine out of eleven persons wanted in connection with this murder are out on bail two including Ashraf are still in Jail.
The slaying of Munim Yadav, BSP leader in Jhusi also became famous for the filmi style in which it was committed. The assailants got down from two vehicles sprayed bullets from automatic weapons and sped away leaving others gasping.Then came the murderous attack on Ganesh Yadav, another BSP leader.
Though he was lucky to survive the attack but the bullets meant for him took the life of his brother Sunil Yadav who is also a BSP leader. A fifteen year old boy Lalla also got killed in this shoot out.
The murder of Niranjan Pasi, a close confidante of Raju Pal, is also being counted among one of the sensational murders of the year. He had worked in the election of Raju Pal and was being baited by his detractors to cross over the fence. His refusal is said to have cost his life.
This was followed by another BSP leader's murder. Ram Vishal Pal, said to Raju Pal's media manager was gunned down. In most of the murders involving BSP leaders police role came into sharp attack.
SP loses 3 leaders
Though the Samajwadi Party lost three leaders but the killing of Suresh Yadav-- founder of Mulayam Singh Yadav Youth Brigade--is said to be due to personal reasons and not out of political vendetta. What rattled the city most at the fag end of the year was the gunning down of an AU leader Kamlesh Yadav. A candidate for the post of vice president of Allahabad University Students Union, he was killed allegedly by student leader Manoj Singh belonging to the Congress camp. Bachcha Yadav, another SP supporter and Gram Pradhan of Sherdeeh village in Jhusi on the outskirts of the city was gunned down recently by his nearest rival in the election and his two sons. Two of the accused later surrendered.
IN Kaushambi two prominent SP leaders Shiv Sagar Singh and Liyaqat Ali were gunned down in separate incidents. The alleged killers are still at large.
Congress Party also lost two leaders. Satish Shukla, a leader from Pratapgarh was gunned down in this district's Holagarh area by his political rivals while Ramesh Tripathi, another Congress leader, was killed in Koraon. BJP was the lone party which remained unscathed.
Attack on lady SI
Cops role came in for sharp criticism by none other but their own colleagues following the attempt on the life of a lady sub inspector Anita Singh Chauhan.
The assailant, a lawyer struck the lady police officer several times with a sharpened machete. Even as she lay in a pool of blood with her locks severed and near fatal injuries on her neck the assailant who was first nabbed by an inspector managed to escape with the help of some of his colleagues.
The murder of Deepak Tulsiani, a businessman, allegedly by a lawyer and his wife rattled the residents for quite some time. The murder was the talk of the town as it looked like a reel life incident. The couple are now out on bail.
Rupal, a housewife was allegedly enticed away by a person acting in TV serials. However, police traced her due to her family's connection with a senior police officer. The accused from Mumbai who pleaded not guilty is in Jail.
Mubba, a former henchman of Ateeq, was done to death over the issue of a house in Rajruppur. People say he lost his life as he was no more in the good books of his mentor.
Bridegroom's killing
In a nerve shaking incidents which froze the blood in the veins of the members of a marriage party , a youth brutally murdered a bridegroom shortly before the marriage in Chedia village under Handia police station. The alleged killer was said to be the lover of the bride.
The kidnapping of a youth, Sitanshu, son of a lecturer in ECC, spread quite a sensation in the city recently. However, police managed to rescue him but the main culprits are still out of police reach. Sitanshu had been kidnapped for ransom by a dacoit gang operating in Chitrakoot.
Several incidents of loot in which traders of Jari and Shankargarh were targetted rattled the business community which in protest took to streets on several occasions. Their anger against the police is still there.
