Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh government announces Rs. 15 lakh as compensation for kin of deceased; five additional companies of police have been deployed after fresh violence was reported on Tuesday.
Saharanpur continues to be tense even as 24 people were arrested so far in connection with the fresh communal clashes that erupted on Tuesday. The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a compensation of Rs. 15 lakh for the family of Ashish, who was killed and Rs. 50,000 each for the injured.
Senior Superintendent of Police Saharanpur S. Dubey said, “The situation is under control and peaceful. We have arrested 24 people so far in connection with the killing, which happened yesterday. Police and PAC [Provincial Armed Constabulary] have been deployed in all the affected areas.”
Two more people were attacked and one was shot at in Nanota Badgaon area. But the district police officials said the incident looked like a case of looting.
The State government has sent a team of senior police officials to control the fresh flare-up in the district, which has been on the boil for the last two months.
Five additional companies of police force were deployed after Tuesday's violence.
So far, two senior police officers in Saharanpur have been suspended and over three dozen people arrested in cases of caste violence.
Police sources said the attackers fired their guns and wielded batons, allegedly killing Ashish (24), who hailed from Sarsawa town, on the spot and injuring four others.
As word of the incident spread, Dalits in the city allegedly indulged in rioting and stone-pelting at some places, forcing closure of markets.
During her visit to the village, Mayawati had held the BJP-led state government responsible for the earlier bout of violence and alleged that the ruling party had failed to stop its own brigade from attacking weaker sections.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed the incident as 'sad and unfortunate' and offered his condolences to the family of the deceased.
He said the culprits would be identified and strict action taken against them. He also appealed for peace and restraint and asked opposition parties to cooperate in restoring peace.
He also ordered a four-member team to visit the spot for inquiry. The team comprises ADG, Law and Order, Aditya Mishra, IG STF Amitabh Yash, DG Security Vijay Bhushan and is led by Home Secretary Mani Prasad Mishra.
The Uttar Pradesh government has blamed former Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's visit to the area for the fresh violence on Tuesday.
"It was expected that the visit of the former chief minister would help restore peace in Saharanpur but this has not happened and it's sad. Peace had been restored in Saharanpur but the former chief minister's visit led to tension followed by the unfortunate incident where one person has died," a statement issued by the UP government said.
Countering BJP's charge, Maywati today reiterated her allegation holding the state government responsible for the violence.
"The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is responsible for the violence in Saharanpur," she said.
"BJP and RSS are misusing the government machinery to disturb the communal peace," she added.
Saharanpur has been in the grip of caste violence since April.
On May 5, a Dalit group had objected to a procession of Thakurs in Shabbirpur to mark the birth anniversary of Rajput king Maharana Pratap, triggering violence, in which one person was killed and over 15 were injured.
Dalits say upper caste Thakurs had earlier prevented them from installing a statue of BR Ambedkar on the premises of the Ravidas temple in the village.
Members of the Bheem Army, a Dalit group, had on May 9 torched a bus and set a number of two-wheelers afire after the administration had turned down their request to hold a mahapanchayat in Gandhi Park to demand compensation for those affected in the May 5 inter-caste clashes.
