Lucknow: Six policemen and four others were booked for allegedly beating a 48-year-old farmer, whom they “suspected” to be a gambler, to death. The Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Mahasabha has warned of a “massive protest” if the accused cops are not arrested before the end of this week.
Though an FIR was registered under IPC section 302 (murder) against the accused cops, an ambulance driver and three other unidentified men on November 10, details of the case are now surfacing after Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Mahasabha said it would launch an agitation if action against the cops responsible for the death of farmer Santosh Sharma is not taken immediately.
SSP Sushil Ghule Chandrabhan has suspended the six cops, including two sub-inspectors. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated.
Sate president of Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Mahasabha, SK Pandey, said, “We’re forced to exert pressure on the administration due to negligence of the state police. If the accused cops are not arrested, we’ll be forced to gherao the SSP office on December 13.” Despite a non-bailable warrant (NBW) being issued against the accused, local police are yet to make an arrest.
Sharma, a farmer from Bhamora village in Bareilly, was allegedly thrashed to death by the accused cops while he was returning from his field on November 9. The post-mortem determined serious head injuries as cause of death.
The victim’s brother, Krishna Kumar, said
, “It’s been a month and not even a single person has been apprehended. This will give them time to secure bail from court. We want the cops’ homes to be demolished.”
Additional SP (rural) Mukesh Chandra Mishra said, “NBWs have already been issued against all the accused so they cannot evade arrest for long. We’re in the process of taking further action under CrPC sections 82 (proclamation for person absconding) and 83 (attachment of property of person absconding).”
