Unidentified miscreants struck terror when they sprayed a crucial witness in a triple murder case inside the civil court premises in Meerut on Friday. Surprisingly, the victim was killed in police custody but the cops failed to do anything and even the criminals escaped without any challenge.
Reports said that Nitin, who was lodged in Bagpat jail in connection with a case was brought to Meerut district court as he was a prime witness in the triple murder case. As he was taken to the judge’s chamber, when two criminals suddenly intercepted and opened indiscriminate fire killing Nitin. They also opened fire in air to terrorise the police party and safely escaped from the spot. The incident also resulted into resentment amongst the lawyers, who blamed deteriorating law and order situation responsible of killing an undertrial inside court promises. Nitin too had 18 cases of murder and attempt to murder against him in Meerut and Bagpat.
In another case at Meerut, a 48-year-old RTI activist was shot at near his home in Tofapur village after he had sought information from the village head about the development works undertaken in the area. The victim, identified as Kailash, was attacked on Thursday evening. Resident of Tofapur, Kailash had twice sought information under the RTI from the village head about the development works undertaken in the area and the expenses on them, SHO, Inchauli police station, T S Yadav said. After being allegedly denied information by the village head (‘gram pradhan’), Kailash lodged a complaint in this connection with the State Information Commission in lucknow and the SIC had fixed a hearing on September 5, Yadav said. The activist was shot at near his house when he was on his way to lucknow on Thursday evening, he said. He was taken to nearby hospital where the doctors removed the bullet he had sustained in the attack, he said. Four persons including the village head have been booked after a complaint filed by the family of the victim.
Meanwhile in Agra, arrest two accused in the murder of shoemaker had led to communal tension in the Bapu Nagar area of the Taj City Agra. Reports said that a minor dispute between two youths Yusuf and Santu led to a major clash last week. Yusuf along with his friends beat up Santu, his brother and other relatives in which Santu succumbed to his injury. The incident led to communal clash in the area in which shops of a particular community were ransacked. BJP MP Ramashanker Kateharia also sat on dharna at Hariparvat police station in protest against police inaction against the culprits. Police have arrested Ravi and Wasim in connection with the murder of Santu but the main accused Yusuf is still absconding.
In one another development, a notorious criminal, active in several states and carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh, was arrested by the Special Task Force after an encounter in Agra on Friday. Paras alias Surendra Singh and his seven accomplices were arrested from Tyota Crossing on the road to Dholpur (Rajasthan) following a tip-off that he was planning to kidnap a cold storage owner in Agra, STF said in a statement here. Pistols, cartridges, two four-wheelers, cash, valuable watches, mobile phones and SIM cards were seized from them, it said. Paras, who had been active in UP, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and other states, had escaped thrice from courts when taken for hearings in the past, the release said, adding that he has given vital information about a number of kidnapping cases.On interrogation, he said during his stay in jails, he used to get good amount of money from cricket betting, the release added.