Lucknow: A heated argument between a village head’s son and the shop owners over pending dues reportedly ended in violence between the two communities on Tuesday according to the Police.
As many as five persons were injured and two shops were vandalized in the clash that broke out between the Dalit and Thakur communities in Nawali village of Ghazipur district on Tuesday, Indian Express reported.
The violence that went on for over an hour ended after the Police intervened. Several shops, vehicles were damaged in the violence.
So far, the Police have arrested five suspects. Meanwhile, the Revatipur Station Officer (SO) Ram Bahadur Chaudhary, was also transferred on grounds of negligence after two BJP MLAs staged a dharna Wednesday.
The MLAs claimed that the police “misbehaved” with the village head Vimla Singh’s husband Lal Bahadur Singh and the women residents of the area.
“At around 8 pm on Tuesday, family members of Vimla Singh went to a mobile recharge shop owned by Bablu and Raju, who belong to the Dalit community. Bablu and Raju had an argument with Vimla’s son Pradeep over pending dues.
The argument soon turned into a clash, with people from both sides joining the row. The groups indulged in brick-batting and even attacked a police team,” said Ghazipur SP Somen Barma.
“An FIR was lodged against over a dozen unidentified villagers under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty). Of the five arrested, two belong to the Thakur community and three are Dalits. I have removed SO of Revatipur police station and sent him to Police Lines as he could not control the situation,” he added.
Two BJP MLAs Alka Rai and Sunita Singh from Mohammadabad and Jamania constituencies on Wednesday staged a protest against Revatipur SO and Circle Officer Krishnakant Saroj of Kasimabad area demanding action against the officers.
BJP MLA Alka Rai alleged that the officers barged in their houses and misbehaved with them, along with vandalizing their houses.
“They have also alleged that the police manhandled the village pradhan’s husband and vandalised his house. They also attacked our party’s zonal president, Lallan Singh. I saw the situation and asked the SP to come. I then sat on a dharna from 3 pm to 11 pm. Later, the SP came and assured me of action against the police officials,” Rai added.
Meanwhile, the Ghazipur SP told: “We are verifying these allegations.”