Days after the communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich, where 22-year-old Gopal Mishra was killed, two of the five accused in the case were injured in a police encounter on Thursday, 17 October. Bahraich Superintendent of Police, Vrinda Shukla, stated that the accused, Sarfaraz and Taleem, were shot in the legs while allegedly attempting to escape near the Nanpara Police Station during the recovery of the murder weapon. Shukla explained that the weapon was found in a loaded state and that the accused opened fire on the police, prompting retaliatory action in self-defence. Both men are currently undergoing treatment at Bahraich’s civil hospital and are said to be in stable condition. Three other accused, Abdul Hameed, Fahim, and Abdul Afzal, were also arrested. Police have recovered the murder weapon, and further searches are underway for other suspects involved in the violence.
#WATCH | Bahraich Encounter | SP Bahraich, Vrinda Shukla says, “When the Police team went to Nanpara area for the recovery of the murder weapon, Md Sarfaraz alias Rinku and Md Talib alias Sablu had kept the murder weapon in a loaded state, which they used to fire on the police.… pic.twitter.com/L0Cj4xqYCk
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
Uttar Pradesh | Two accused in Bahraich violence case – Mohammed Sarfaraz and Mohammed Talib- injured in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh STF brought to Bahraich District Hospital
Total 5 people have been arrested, say Police. pic.twitter.com/DR0xBlzgsI
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
Uttar Pradesh | Bahraich violence injured in encounter, 5 arrested, UP DGP Prashant Kumar says, “When the Police were taking the five arrested accused for weapons recovery near India-Nepal border, the two accused tried to run away. As they tried to run away, shots were fired.… pic.twitter.com/sauuVZywTr
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
While the police encounter has led to the injuries of Sarfaraz and Taleem, this method of law enforcement is nothing new in Uttar Pradesh. The state police have frequently been criticised for their reliance on encounters as a tool to maintain law and order. In this instance, the injuries were limited to the legs, which stands in contrast to more fatal outcomes in past encounters, yet questions persist about the broader implications of such practices. Bahraich’s Superintendent of Police assured that strict action would be taken against all the accused, but the recurring pattern of encounters has raised concerns about whether the state is addressing deeper issues of governance and law enforcement.
The opposition has reacted strongly to the incident. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav called it an “administrative failure,” criticising the government for resorting to encounters to cover up its inability to maintain order. Yadav questioned why the Durga idol procession, for which permission was reportedly granted, could not be managed peacefully. He suggested that the government’s failure to control such a small event reflects poorly on its ability to uphold law and order across the state. Yadav further claimed that the ruling party is fostering a “divide and rule” policy, stating that the incident was not spontaneous but part of a larger, premeditated strategy.
#WATCH | Bahraich Encounter | Barabanki: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav says, “This incident was an administrative failure. The government is doing encounters to cover up their failure… If encounters had been improving the law and order of the state, UP would have… pic.twitter.com/JwHfhNJJ0G
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
Congress leaders also voiced their disapproval. Avinash Pandey described the ongoing encounters in Uttar Pradesh as an alarming trend and emphasised that the situation in Bahraich is a result of the administration’s negligence. He stressed that the state must restore normalcy and ensure justice for the victims. Congress leader Aradhana Misra-Mona echoed similar sentiments, pointing to the lack of preparation by the authorities for such a significant event. She argued that the violence could have been prevented if the administration had been more alert. UP Congress President Ajay Rai went a step further, accusing the government of staging “fake encounters” to deflect attention from its failures. Rai suggested that these encounters are a tactic to hide the administration’s incompetence in handling law and order.
#WATCH | Bahraich Encounter | Congress leader Avinash Pandey says, “Encounters are happening on a daily basis in the state… What is happening in Bahraich, is unfortunate and it is the duty of the administration to ensure normalcy returns.” pic.twitter.com/4h8mpAJUS7
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
#WATCH | Bahraich Encounter | Congress leader Aradhana Misra-Mona says, “It is a failure of the government and the administration that no arrangements were made for such a big event. This incident could have been prevented had the administration been alert…” pic.twitter.com/Fk5h2yKPWJ
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
#WATCH | Bahraich Encounter | UP Congress President Ajay Rai says, “The government has been doing fake encounters since ever… They are just trying to cover up their failure…” pic.twitter.com/icIHOVHZmY
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2024
The incident in Bahraich, marked by the killing of Gopal Mishra and the subsequent police encounter, underscores the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. Though the police claim to have acted in self-defence, critics argue that encounters have become a routine tool for the state to sidestep accountability. Despite the injuries in this case being limited to the legs, concerns about excessive force, fairness, and transparency in the state’s handling of such situations remain at the forefront of public discourse.
As the opposition rallies behind the victims’ families, calling for justice, the incident in Bahraich serves as another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over policing tactics in Uttar Pradesh, raising serious questions about the state’s approach to managing communal tensions and maintaining public safety.
Background of the incident
Communal violence erupted in Mahsi tehsil of Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district after a 22-year-old man, Ram Gopal, was killed during a Durga idol immersion procession on Sunday, 13 October. The unrest began when a verbal altercation over lowering the volume of music as the procession passed through a Muslim-majority area escalated into stone-pelting and gunfire. Gopal was fatally shot during the clashes and later died in the hospital. Tensions further flared on Monday as protesters engaged in arson and vandalism, setting shops and a hospital on fire. In an effort to quell the violence, the local administration suspended internet services and deployed police to maintain order.
A widely circulated video showed Gopal on the roof of a building, tearing down a green flag and waving a saffron one, while the crowd below chanted slogans like “Jai Bajrang Bali” and “Jai Shree Ram.” Another video captured his body being dragged from the rooftop amid a barrage of stones. A murder case has been filed against 10 individuals, including four unidentified persons, based on a complaint by Gopal’s brother, who alleged that Gopal was dragged into a house and shot. (Details may be read here.)
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