The Union government sought a detailed report on the Kansganj incident from the state government even as the strife-hit district remained tense on Tuesday. Family members of a deceased also staged protests accusing the police of harassing his friends. Sources confirmed that after the Centre’s move was hastened due to Governor Ram Naik’s observatio that the Kansganj violence was a Rs blot on the state’.
Meanwile, even after a Piyush Srivastava taking over reins from the former SP of Kasganj, the situation continued to be tense and volatile for a consecutive fifth day wherein miscreants tried to damage the boundary wall of a religious place in Amanpur area. Senior officials along with RAF personnel rushed to the spot. On Monday night, a cosmetic shop was torched by miscreants on Maal Godam Road. The mob accused the shop owner of being involved in the violence that left a young Chandan Gupta (18) dead last Friday. Irate mob also staged a protest before Nadari Gate Police outpost on Tuesday morning. Hundreds of women from both communities alleged police atrocities on youths and claimed that the real culprits were roaming freely. The protesters were also joined by the family of Chandan Gupta who was killed in the violence during during Tiranga Yatra on Republic Day. They protesters demanded the release of detained youths in the name of interrogation. However, District Magistrate RP Singh said on Tuesday that the situation was peaceful amid reports of sporadic incidents. He said that police patrolling was underway in sensitive areas. The state government has already ordered the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe all five cases registered so far in connection with the violence in Kasganj district. The police has so far arrested 125 persons and some more arrests were said to be on the cards. On Tuesday, the family of deceased Chandan Gupta was handed over a cheque of Rs 20 lakhs as compensation by the district authorities. The aggrieved family however demanded the status of a martyr to the the young victim and a government job to a kin along with Rs 50 lakh as compensation.
On Republic Day, Kasganj witnessed communal violence when dozens of business establishments and vehicles were torched by angry mob after Chanda Gupta died after being shot during a clash. The clash started when some locals tried to take out ‘Tiranga Yatra’ through Muslim-domainated area. Meanwhile, middle-aged Rahul Upadhyay scotched rumours flshing across social media that he was killed in clashes. “One of my friends informed me about the rumours, but let me tell every one that I was not present in Kasganj that day. I had gone to my village and am absolutely fine,” Upadhyay said. DGP, OP Singh stressed that those behind the violence will be dealt with under the ambit of National Security Act (NSA).
