Mathura violence: DM, SP to be suspended by Akhilesh Yadav over lack of coordination?

As per Zee Media, District Magistrate of Mathura Rajesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police (SP) may face the heat over Mathura violence and could be suspended over the violent clashes.

Mathura: Even after losing two of their brave officers during the recent violent clashes here at Jawahar Bagh area on Thursday, it seems that more trouble is brewing-up for the Uttar Pradesh Police.   

As the probe into the violence began today, a Zee Media report said on Sunday that the District Magistrate (DM) of Mathura Rajesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police (SP) could be suspended from their posts due to lack of  coordination while handling the violent clashes between the protestors and the cops.

Meanwhile, death toll in the clashes today rose to 29, according to media reports, 

The development comes shortly after a high-level meeting took place at Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's official residence here.

An inquiry into the incident is now being conducted by Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant.

According to media reports, the DM didn’t had any idea about police operation in Jawahar Bagh.

On Thursday night, police went for patrolling and was attacked by 3000 protesters. Akhilesh Yadav had ordered a commissioner-level inquiry into the violence. Over 300 people were arrested in the violence that also left 23 policemen injured, including many seriously hurt.

Twenty-four people were killed in the clash which mounted to twenty-seven later, between police and encroachers during an anti-encroachment drive on Thursday in Jawahar bagh in Mathura.

Those killed also include Superintendent of Police Mukul Dwivedi and Farah Police Station SHO Santosh Kumar Yadav.

BJP workers meanwhile have been booked for holding an unlawful protest in connection with the Mathura incident here.

"An FIR has been registered against over 50 BJP workers on a compliant of Samajwadi Party leader in Sambhal Mahmood Akhtar for gathering unlawfully to protest at Malviya Chowk yesterday," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kamlesh Dixit said.

During the protest, they had burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and raised anti-government slogans charging it with being responsible for the Mathura incident, Dixit said.

The FIR was registered yesterday under section IPC 143 (unlawful assembly), he said.

BJP MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti also lashed out at police officials for not allowing her to go inside Jawahar Bagh.

Police officials in Mathura had yesterday decided to provide a financial help of Rs 76 lakh each to the families of the two police officers killed during the clashes.

Additional SP (Rural) Arun Kumar Singh said all gazetted officers will give their seven days salary, Sub-inspector rank officers their five days salary and personnel below the rank of SI will give their three days salary to the two families.

Similarly, district administration officers and employees have decided to donate their one day salary for the police officers' families, an official release said. 

A large amount of explosives were today found during the search operation at Jawahar Bag where 24 people, including two police officers, died following a clash between police and encroachers.

"Five kg of sulphur, 2.5 kg of gun powder, one kg potash, 500 grams of small iron balls and an electronic plate were found during the search operation in Jawahar Bag today," SP Rural Arun Kumar Singh said.

Nine company of PAC, along with police personnel, have been deployed in Jawahar Bag to carry out search operation, he said.

"The search operation is on and till the forensic team complete there work Jawahar Bag would remain out of bounds for everyone," he added.

He also said that associates of Ram Virksha Yadav, the chief of the violent encroachers in Jawahar Bagh, was among those killed in the clashes.

"After seeing the photograph, associates of Ram Virksha Yadav in jail, have confirmed that he had been killed," Singh said when asked about the status of Yadav.

Asked about the reason of delay in conducting post-mortem, he said "it is legally binding to give 72 hours to the family members or well wishers before conducting post-mortem."