Bhim Army blames Rajputs for murder of local leader’s brother in UP

Supporters of Dalit outfit Bhim Army have blamed Rajputs for the death of its Saharanpur district president Kamal Walia’s brother Sachin Walia who was found shot on Wednesday afternoon.

A case of murder and SC/ST Act has been registered in Kotwali Dehat against Sher Singh Rana, president of Rajput Mahasabha and one of the accused of Phoolan Devi murder case, Kanha Rana, Narendra Rana and Updesh Rana on the complaint of deceased’s mother Kanti Walia. “The incident is being investigated from all possible angles,” said Babloo Kumar, SSP of Saharanpur.

The suspicious death has spurred fears of a repeat of last year’s inter-caste clashes in the district after a dispute arose over loud music being played during a Maharana Pratap Jayanti procession. “We would decide our future course of action,” said Bhim Army activist Robin Gautam. Bhim Army supporters have also accused the district administration and police of being responsible for the murder of Sachin.

Gautam said that despite their objections district administration gave Rajputs permission to hold Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebrations barely a few hundreds meteres away from the Dalit locality of Ramnagar. Sher Singh Rana and his aides participated in the celebrations.

Gautam also claimed Rana had threatened Kamal Walia with dire consequences through a video two days earlier. “The matter was immediately reported to SSP and other officials but no security was provided to the Walia family,” Gautam said.

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