Even as a row erupted between the Centre and UP governments over a 'water train', acute water crisis landed a farmer in jail when he tried to 'steal' water in and was arrested in Mahoba (Bundelkhand). Irked by the police action, local villagers lodged a protest demanding the release of the hapless farmer.
Earlier, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC was imposed in Mahoba by the administration to check misuse of water and stray fights over water collection in the district.
Additional SP in Mahoba Rajesh Saxena told media persons on Friday morning that a farmer identified as Hiralal Yadav of Nayapura ward in Kotwali police station area was arrested for stealing water from Urmil dam by fixing a pipeline for watering his fields on Thursday evening.
After a Jal Sansthan engineer complaint in this regard, the accused farmer was arrested. However the issue soon became politicised and irate farmers started a dharna demanding the release of their colleague.
Meanwhile celebratory firing continued unabated across the state with two more causalities being reported on Friday.
In Shahjahanpur, a boy was killed at amarriage funtion after guests engaged in celebratory firing in Roza area lateThursday night.
SP, Dr Manoj Kumar said that the incident took place in Kutubpur Sirsa village at a daughter's wedding at the house of Daud. Asthe baratis arrived, Daud's elder brother Yusuf fired from a double barrel gun in which a 12-year-old boy Suhail was killed on the spot. Yusuf managed to flee after the incident while action has been initiated to cancel the gun licence.
Meanwhile in Allahabad, the marriage ceremony of a girl at the residence of Arjun Kol was underway at Jagdishpur area of lalapur on Thursday night when a guest identified as Adesh Yadav started firing from a country made weapon. Trgaedy struck when another guest Jhallar Kol (40) was hit by a bullet. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. A case was registered and efforts were on to arrest Adesh Yadav who absconded soon after the incident.