BAHRAICH: BJP MLA Subhash Tripathi’s son Nishank a mining contractor have been booked for the murder of two children. One of whom was allegedly buried alive other was recovered from near the Ghaghra river in Baundi area of the district.
10-year-old Karan and Nisar,11 went missing on Wednesday when they were on the way to their fields, near the river. Karan father Chetram a Dalit lodged a complaint when his son did not turned up.
He said Nishank Tripathi and mining contractor Manoj Shukla were digging sand from his field instead of the area allotted to them. He said on facing resistance, they buried the two children alive by putting sand on them with the help of a bulldozer.
Police said, an FIR was lodged against Nishank and Manoj. They have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and the SC/ST(Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
SP Sunil Saxena said he is yet to see the postmortem examination report, he has received information that the report has stated that the boys had drowned. “No antemortem injuries have been noted… the case is being investigated,” he added.
Mr. Tripathi denied all allegations. “I have worked against illegal mining in the area… so, those involved in illegal mining are against me… My son has been implicated by political rivals and has nothing to do with the deaths or mining,” he said.
Further investigation is being carried out by the three-member committee constituted by the district magistrate, comprising the SDM, mining officer and the police’s circle officer.
Mahasi Circle Officer Tanvir Ahmad Khan said: “Villagers had removed the bodies of the children, from where they were found, before the police could reach the spot. But both bodies were found in the same area. Following the recovery of the bodies, the villagers damaged vehicles of the miner.”