String of sensational crimes in Allahabad zone, loot incidents rock Varanasi
In the first two months of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, there have been several instances of heinous crimes including rapes, murders and loots, many of which are yet to be worked out.
Barely few days after the BJP came to power, a BSP leader Mohammad Shami was shot dead outside his residence in Mauaima area of Allahabad on March 19 night.
The sensational murder triggered massive protests by Shami’s supporters.
A VHP leader was also named in the murder. He is still at large while cops have arrested some of the accused.
A police constable Rajkumar Singh, 48 was shot dead by a gangster in Budaura village of Pratapgarh district.
The constable and his colleague had gone to serve a notice to gangster Irshad on April 9.
A massive hunt was launched, but Irshad could only be arrested 20 days later.
On April 19, assailants gunned down an SBI guard in Pratapgarh Kotwali area during a failed attempt to loot a cash van.
However, they managed to flee with the guard’s gun.
In a shocking incident, four members of a family, including two girls, were hacked to death in their house in Judapur village of Nawabganj in trans-Ganga area here on April 23.
The girls were sexually assaulted too.
Some of the named accused were nabbed but investigations are still on.
Likewise, a paan shop owner was shot dead near Civil Lines bus station in Allahabad on April 29.
One of the accused was nabbed, but two others were at large.
Around 10 days back, a youth was shot dead near a liquor shop in Civil Lines after a brawl between two groups over a minor issue.
Two of the accused were later nabbed by police, but the main accused is still at large.
SS Meena, SP (city), said most of the crimes that took place in Allahabad recently had been worked out.
FOUR ROBBERIES IN A DAY
A major robbery at a jewellery shop in Thatheri Bazar area, four loots at various locations in a single day and an attempt to rob a jewellery store in Rathyatra area of the city rocked Varanasi in April.
On April 8, six robbers struck Sitaram Sarraf shop owned by Sanjay Agrawal and Prahlad Agarwal and looted ornaments worth Rs 4 crore.
After the incident, chief minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to the then Varanasi zone IG N Ravinder and instructed him to work out the case as soon as possible.
Police arrested five robbers while five others surrendered.
On April 13, four incidents of loot took place at different locations — Chetganj, Sarnath, Lanka and Rathyatra in the city.
Robbers looted Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh from a trader in Chetganj and a contractor in Sarnath respectively.
A cheat took away a purse containing Rs 2.5 lakh from a woman in Lanka area where she went for shopping.
Similarly, a purse containing Rs 20,000 was looted by cheats in Rathyatra area.
On April 28, the robbers attempted to rob a jewellery shop in Rathyatra area.
However, they couldn’t succeed because of the showroom owner’s alertness.
Police registered cases in all these incidents.
The incidents raised question over law and order situation in the region. Moreover, a minor was raped in Manduadeeh area.
The accused was arrested and sent to jail.
After Thatheri Bazar robbery, locals organised a daylong market bandh in protest against the incident.
They raised question over law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
BARELY FEW DAYS AFTER THE BJP CAME TO POWER, A BSP LEADER MOHAMMAD SHAMI WAS SHOT DEAD OUTSIDE HIS RESIDENCE IN MAUAIMA AREA OF ALLAHABAD ON MARCH 19. THE SENSATIONAL MURDER TRIGGERED MASSIVE PROTESTS BY SHAMI’S SUPPORTERS.