Hardoi hate crime: Family stages protest, demands arrest of accused
LUCKNOW : With two more accused in the Hardoi hate crime case still at large, victim’s family and villagers staged on Friday a protest demanding their arrest.
Villagers gathered at the house of Abhishank, a dalit man who was set ablaze by members of a upper caste family, and started a candle light procession, holding placards demanding arrest of two main accused. Bhadaicha is an upper-caste dominated village.
In this case, three accused Radhey Gupta, Daali Gupta and victim’s woman friend Shivani Gupta have been sent to judicial custody by the court on Thursday.
Two others Satyam Singh and Shikhar Singh are still absconding. Victim’s uncle and complainant in the case Ajay Pal said, “We want their arrest. They are the culprits as Abhishank told us before succumbing to injuries. There are fears that they could harm us.”
Victim’s father Mithilesh Pal added, “Until they are arrested, I am scared about my younger son. The entire village knows, they (Satyam and Shikhar) are alcoholic. They can harm anyone of us.” Circle officer (City) Hardoi Vijay Kumar Rana said, “Our teams are on the job to nab them. They are the main key to the case.”
He said the crime scene was recreated to verify the statements of three accused.
Police so far have not recorded the statement of the victim’s family and others in the village.
A cop said they had been investigating the case and will record the statements once the family, which suffered two deaths, was able to help in the investigation.
The man’s ailing mother also died on the same night due to cardiac arrest after she came to know about her son’s murder.