Clash between two groups during Ravidas Jayanti procession in Mau left two persons, including a woman, dead while half a dozen others were critically injured on Wednesday night.
Members of both groups were said to be inebrioated when the incident took place.
Heavy police force was later deployed in the area to avert any exigency. The bodies were sent for autopsy and three persons were so far arrested and cases were registered.
As per reports, a procession was being taken out to celebrate Ravidas Jayanti in Mau on Wednesday night. As the procession was passing through Gokulpura village of Ranipura area, some inebriated revellers were asked to stop dancing which triggered an argument. later two groups, one led by Muneeb and the other by Baliram, attacked each other with sticks and rods in which over half a dozen members from both sides were seriously injured and had to be hospitalised. The situation could only be brought under control after heavy police force reached the spot.
Two victims, Baliram’s son Rakesh (23) and Muneeb’s wife Devanti (50) were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Circle officer Ravindra Kumar said that heavy police force was deployed in the area and three victim’s - Muneeb’s son Chandan, his friend Sandeep along Baliram’s son Dinesh were arrested. A cross-FIR was registered in this regard.
Meanwhile in Sambhal, a four-year-girl was killed and her grandfather injured after five people opened fire at them over a land dispute in Hayatnagar area on Wednesday evening.
The incident took place when Banwari Singh Yadav was going somewhere with his granddaughter Poonam when some assailnts opened fire. While Poonam died on the spot, Yadav was injured and rushed to a hospital where his condition was stated to be out of danger. The incident is believed to be over an old property dispute. A case was registered and efforts were on to nab the accused.
Elsewhere in Bulandshahr, a nine-year-old girl was strangled by her father. Pradeep of Debai area is said to be an alcoholic. On Wednesday evening, as he readied to take drinks, his daughter objected to his regular practice. This enraged him and he strangled her in a fit of rage. Pradeep also inflcited a cut on his son’s wrist when he tried to rescue his sister. The matter came to light after Pradeep’s neighbour found the girl dead and boy bleeding profusely at his house. The boy was admitted to district hospital and a case was registered against Pradeep and he was arrested.
Meanwhile in Banda, a 34-year-old farmer was allegedly shot dead in his fields in Singhpur village. Rakesh Tiwari was guarding his fields in Bisandi area late on Wednesday night. When he did not return home on Thursday morning, his family members went looking for him and found his body lying in a pool of blood. Tiwari had a bullet injury and it seemed that some unknown person had killed him over a dispute.