In the aftermath of the gruesome mass murder that occurred in Ledha Tola within Rudrapur Kotwali of Deoria district, disturbing revelations of negligence on the part of revenue and police officials have come to light.
Investigations into the case have exposed a series of complaints filed by Satyaprakash Dubey, which had allegedly been mishandled by the authorities, ultimately leading to the tragic murder of six individuals.
As a consequence of this grave lapse, punitive actions have been initiated against both administrative and police officers, with a concurrent inquiry launched against a Circle Officer (CO).
Satyaprakash Dubey had persistently submitted complaints to the authorities, both online and offline, regarding land disputes and threats to his safety. Shockingly, it has emerged that the authorities routinely submitted reports falsely claiming resolution of the issues without conducting adequate investigations. This negligence eventually culminated in the horrifying mass murder incident.
Dubey’s appeals for intervention were not limited to written submissions; he had also sought assistance during community gatherings such as the chaupal organised on Police Station Day in July 2022 and Tehsil Day in February 2023.
Now, as higher-ranking officials probe the entire case, systemic flaws in record-keeping and the dubious role of an accountant tasked with investigating Satyaprakash’s applications have come under scrutiny.
One of the critical complaints filed by Dubey was related to the illegal occupation of Premchand’s Manas Inter College in Khalihan area, which he alleged was built on government land during the tenure of Premchand’s mother as the village head. Revenue officials submitted inaccurate reports regarding these complaints as well. Sub-inspectors and constables concluded that there was no threat to life or property, despite clear evidence to the contrary.
On December 25, 2020, when Dubey complained through the Jan Sunwai portal, it was falsely documented that an investigation had already been conducted.
In a report dated March 4 of this year, it was claimed that revenue personnel had visited the site but were unable to proceed due to crops in the field and Dubey’s unavailability. Furthermore, the village head was reportedly present during this incident.
Dubey also raised concerns about Prem Yadav’s illegal acquisition of property and the forceful occupation of village society land. Regrettably, the authorities’ actions remained confined to paper, with the disputes persisting on the ground.
In light of these revelations, decisive action has been taken based on the investigative report. A slew of suspensions and penalties have been imposed, affecting several officials involved in the case. Suspensions have been issued to CO, Diljeet, inspector-in-charge Kotwali Naveen Singh, former inspector-in-charge, sub-inspector Jaiprakash Dubey, then sub-inspector Sunil Kumar, head constable Rajesh Pratap Singh, constable Avnish Chauhan, constable Kailash Patel, Rampratap Kannaujiya and Subhash Yadav.
Additionally, a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the then area officer, Dinesh Kumar Singh Yadav, as the authorities grapple with the fallout of their negligence in handling the case.