‘Tiranga Yatra’ for death to prime accused in Chandan murder case
LUCKNOW: A number of youths, resident doctors of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and professionals associated with the organisation ‘Youth in Action’, took out a march here on Friday, demanding death sentence for the prime accused of a youth Chandan Gupta’s murder during Kasganj violence on Republic Day. They also demanded the status of martyr to Gupta.
Similar yatras were also taken out in Varanasi, Mau and Allahabad.
Youths, most of them holding the national flag, gathered at the gate of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and began chanting slogans, demanding execution of Saleem Javed, the prime accused in Abhishek Gupta alias Chandan’s murder, before embarking on the so called ‘Tiranga Yatra’. “We want early execution of Saleem Javed, the killer of Chandan,” said Dr Bhupendra Singh, senior resident KGMU.
Singh also demanded financial help for the family of Chandan Gupta and said the government should take stern measures to check recurrence of such incidents.
He said in Mau district, the marchers were cane charged which was against the law.
The youths said since Chandan died on Republic Day, the status of a martyr should be granted to him.
The yatra, which began from the KGMU gate, concluded at Shaheed Smarak gate where the youths displayed banners and posters bearing the image of Chandan Gupta and ‘Vande Matram’ in bold. A few also blamed the lax approach of the police and flayed political parties for indulging in politics on the issue. The district administration, however, denied it had given permission for any such yatra. “No permission was given to carry out any such march. Strict action will be initiated against the protestors,” said Kaushal Raj Sharma, district magistrate, Lucknow.
Earlier, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad also held a “Tiranga Yatra” in Agra that was taken out within a week after a similar procession in Kasganj led to communal clashes and death of Chandan Gupta.