Lucknow: Three people died in clashes 27 years ago during the Lok Sabha elections in Mainpuri district. Mulayam Singh Yadav won the 1996 Lok Sabha election and became the MP for the first time. The violence on voting day resulted in the murder of two BJP workers and an SP worker. Police had registered FIRs on complaints received from both parties. During the SP regime, the case filed against the SP workers was withdrawn. Now, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government will withdraw the case against the BJP workers.
Following the approval of UP governor Anandiben Patel, the state government directed district magistrate Mainpuri to move an application for withdrawal of the case pending in the district court. A letter was sent by special secretary of the government Manoj Kumar.
The case, registered as State versus Jagannath Singh and others, was filed at the Kurra police station under IPC section 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in the prosecution of common object) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of the offence, or giving false information to screen offender).
The clash occurred on May 7, 1996 between SP and BJP workers at the Guniya polling centre. According to sources, two BJP workers, Sher Singh and Ram Awatar, were killed while SP worker Ram Bharosay was allegedly killed by BJP supporters and his body subsequently burnt to destroy evidence. FIRs were registered based on complaints filed by both parties.
When Mulayam Singh was chief minister, the case against the SP workers was withdrawn by the state government. The case against the BJP workers remained under trial in the court of the additional district judge. A chargesheet had been filed against a dozen BJP workers, including the candidate, Updesh Singh Chauhan. Four accused, including Chauhan, passed away during the trial and the others are predominantly over 60 years. The next hearing is scheduled for July 17.
Mainpuri DM Avinash Krishna Singh said, “Following directions, proceedings for withdrawal of prosecution in a long pending case have been initiated. The public prosecutor will move an application in court under section 321 of the Criminal Code Procedure”.
