Bulandshahr violence: BJP MP takes aim at murdered SHO

Meerut MP Rajendra Agrawal while speaking to the Indian Express on Sunday said that the team investigating the violence should also check whether the SHO became a target because the station under his charge allegedly failed to check cow slaughter and cattle smuggling.

He said “Whatever has happened in Bulandshahr on December 3 leading to the death of the Siana Station House Officer in mob lynching is highly deplorable. But the probe team should also include within its purview why no action was taken by the SHO in connection with the FIR lodged regarding cow smuggling at the Siana police station before the violence.”

He further added that “If cow slaughter has been declared by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a serious crime, then we will have to look into the working of police stations, including Siana, over a broader time period. If we have to uproot the menace of cow slaughter, we will have to look at all aspects, down to the police station level.”

Bulandhahr MP Bhola Ram on Thursday had said that Bajrang Dal activist Yogeshraj Singh, the main accused in the SHO’s killing and who is on the run, was doing “noble and eye-opening work”.

He stated that “Expressing your support for stricter cow slaughter laws is not a crime. He was doing noble and eye-opening work. He brought to my attention that such an incident has occurred. Rest is a matter of investigation.”

Earlier on December 3, a mob of some 400 people had a clash with police on December 3. During the violence, Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh who was investigating Akhlaq’s killing and a 20-year-old man died of gunshot wounds.

Clashes erupted in Bulandshahr after cattle carcasses were found in a field, which led to an agitation by locals, who demanded the closure of all illegal animal slaughterhouses. In the protests that ensued, Inspector Subodh and Sumit were killed.

[source_without_link]The Indian Express[/source_without_link]