Bulandshahr violence: Mob of over 300 attacked us, says eyewitness cop

Nearly 300-500 people attacked the entire police force, claimed an officer.

LUCKNOW: A mob of at least 300 people attacked the police force in the Bulandshahr incident that claimed the life of Uttar Pradesh Police Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and 20-year-old Sumit.

"The crowd jammed the road and started throwing stones at the police. There were around 300-500 people. The entire police force was attacked. I got hurt myself and after that, I do not know what happened," claimed Sub Inspector Suresh Kumar, an eyewitness.

Violent protests erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr on Monday over alleged illegal slaughterhouses in the area. 

Sources told ZeeNews protests started after villagers found the carcass of cow and its progeny in a jungle in Mahaw village. Angry villagers and members of various Hindu groups brought the animal remains in tractor-trolley to the Chingarwathi Police Chowki and demanded action against the culprits. They raised slogans against the police administration and blocked the Bulandshahr-Garh highway.

The police were informed at 11 am on Monday about alleged illegal cow slaughter in the area, following which they rushed to the spot.

"The police got information about the incident and reached the spot. After reaching the spot we saw remains of cattle and told people that we will send the same for post-mortem. It was a situation of chaos, our officials noted the statement of people. But all of them were saying different things we tried to make them understand but failed," added Suresh Kumar.

Protesting villagers blocked the roads and allegedly pelted stones on police personnel. In the ensuing clashes, the mob attacked police station in Shyana and vandalised at least 15 vehicles, and even set some of them on fire. The police later resort to lathicharge and firing into the air to control the crowd.

Deceased inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who had once probed the infamous Akhlaq lynching case, suffered a gunshot injury in addition to wounds from hard and blunt objects, said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, citing a post-mortem report. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. 

Singh’s assistant was also seriously injured in the incident and undergoing treatment at a local hospital. 

Bulandshahr: Latest visuals from police station in Siyana where a police inspector & a civilian lost their lives in a scuffle yesterday pic.twitter.com/t4SivkXCvQ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 3, 2018

According to latest reports, the situation continues to remain tense in the region, security has been beefed up with a large deployment of police force in Bulandshahr. The state deployed additional police, including over 1,000 personnel of anti-riot forces, and ordered multiple probes -- by SIT, ADG-Intelligence -- and a magisterial inquiry.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over incident and the two deaths. He declared a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife, Rs 10 lakh for parents and a government job for one member of the family of Singh.

With agency inputs