Have evidence victim went to accused’s house, say police

LUCKNOW: The Hardoi police have claimed that they have vital clues about the two absconding accused -- Satyam Singh and Shikhar Singh – as well as electronic evidence that certifies the woman’s statement that the Dalit man (victim) had gone to her house on her invitation, in the Hardoi hate crime case.

However, the other accused Radhey Gupta, Daali Gupta and the victim Abhishank Pal’s woman friend Shivani Gupta’s statement that the victim had come to their house is contrary to the dying declaration of the victim as well as the complaint filed by his uncle.

Abhishank was allegedly killed by the Guptas and Satyam Singh and Shikar Singh by setting him ablaze in Bhadaicha village of Hardoi on September 14.

The police said they have gathered evidence and recorded statements of the accused.

“We will arrest the two accused soon as we have some vital clues. Their arrest will bring more clarity to the case,” said circle officer (city), Hardoi, Vijay Kumar Rana.

A police officer, privy to the matter, said, “All evidence and statements of the accused prove that the victim had come to Shivani’s house on Saturday night on her invitation, where her uncle and aunt killed him by setting him ablaze.” Police have scanned the mobile phones of both accused as well as the victim.

But the victim’s dying declaration, which the police are yet to get hold of, said he had a scuffle with Satyam and Shikhar near Gupta’s house and they took him there and set him ablaze.

“We are yet to know the reason behind the contradictory statements. If the victim told the truth then why the Guptas accepted that they killed him in a fit of rage after seeing him with Shivani,” said a cop, requesting anonymity.

The Guptas have been sent to judicial custody.

Police have booked them under sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides the sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

› All evidence and statements of the accused prove that the victim had come to Shivani’s house on Saturday night on her invitation, where her uncle and aunt killed him by setting him ablaze A POLICE OFFICER