Bahraich violence: 5 suspects held by UP cops, 2 suffer gunshot injuries

Five suspects in the Bahraich violence case were arrested in Bahraich on Thursday after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police, in which two of the suspects suffered gunshot injuries, a senior official said. The accused were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, the officer said.

"Five accused have been arrested," Aadditional director-general of police (law and order) Amitabh Yash told a news channel. On the reported encounter, he said, "I have information of exchange of fire and gunshot injuries."

A clash broke out at Maharajganj in the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich district on 13 October, allegedly over loud music being played outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession.

Local resident Ram Gopal Mishra (22), who was part of the immersion group, died of gunshot wounds in the violence, triggering vandalism and arson in the area with mobs torching several houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals and vehicles.

Yash, also the chief of the special task force of Uttar Pradesh Police, said the Bahraich police, investigating the alleged murder and subsequent violence, has already established the link of one of the accused to Nepal.

Director-general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said those arrested have been identified as Mohammad Faheen, Mohammad Sarfaraz and Abdul Hameed — who are named in the FIR — as well as Mohammad Taleem alias Sabloo and Mohammad Afzal.

Bahraich superintendent of police Vrinda Shukla told reporters that Sarfaraz and Taleem were injured in the encounter in the Nanpara area of the district. She did not elaborate further.

A doctor at a local healthcare centre told reporters, "Two people were brought here around 2.35 pm. One of them was named Sarfaraz and the other Mohd Talib. One of them had injuries on his left leg and the other on his right leg. The bullets are still inside. I have referred them to the district hospital in Bahraich for X-ray and further management. Both are in normal condition."

Meanwhile, Rukhsar, daughter of accused Abdul Hameed, a landlord accused of firing at Mishra, is purportedly heard saying on video, "At around 4.00 pm yesterday, my father and two brothers, Sarfaraz and Faheem, and another youth were picked up by the UP STF. My husband and brother-in-law have already been picked up. There is no news of them. We fear that they may have been killed in an encounter."

Shortly after the encounter, the Samajwadi Party took to social media citing "rampant crimes" in the state and questioned if "riots and encounters" were being staged to divert people's attention from law and order issues.

"Crimes are rampant in the BJP-Yogi government, jewellery of women, sisters and daughters are being stolen and snatched. Are riots being instigated to divert public attention from these crimes and are encounters being carried out to hush up the matter?" the SP's media cell posted on X.

It also attached a clip of a Hindi news article with the headline: 'Chain looted from a medicine trader by goons near a state minister's house in Muzaffarnagar'.