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Freedom Rule of Law

UP: Demolition drive goes awry, mother daughter burnt alive

While officers initially claimed that they set themselves on fire, a case of murder has now been filed against the SDM and two others

WomenImage: Aaj Tak

A house demolition drive in UP went awry when allegedly one of the huts was set ablaze by the authorities resulting in the death of a mother and daughter, leaving their family distraught. A case of murder has been filed against the sub divisional magistrate, the station house officer and the bulldozer operator, reported NDTV.

In Madauli village in UP’s Kanpur Dehat, during an anti-encroachment drive, the police, district administration and revenue officials were present when this incident occurred and after the fire, they allegedly fled from the spot. Shivam Dixit, the son, who also recorded a video which has been uploaded on social media, claims that “They started the fire while people were still inside. We were just about able to escape. They broke our temple. Nobody did anything, not even the DM (District Magistrate). Everybody ran, nobody could save my mother.”

 

 

The police allegedly created a false narrative that the mother and daughter set themselves ablaze because their house was being demolished. However, other villagers and the kin of the deceased, including the son alleged that their hut was set ablaze when the authorities set off the bulldozer on the hut with the mother daughter still within, and a fire erupted. Superintendent of Police (SP) BBGTS Murthy told the media, “From what we are getting to know, a woman and her daughter locked themselves inside the hut and set it on fire which has resulted in their death. We have reached the spot. All the concerned officials are also here. We will investigate and if there is any wrongdoing, we won’t spare the guilty”. As per the officers, they had gone to remove encroachments from a “gram samaj” or government land.

Krishna Gopal Dixit, the father, said that when their house was ablaze, all the officers left. He also said that one Gaurav Dixit is hands in gloves with the Lekhpal and the SO. He further said it is possible that some false cases have been filed against them as well. He said somehow, he was able to escape from the fire and that the SP drove them away instead of listening to their plea.

 

 

The villagers refused to move the bodies of the mother-daughter, so they decided to sit on a dharna. As the situation escalated, a contingent of UP-PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) was deployed on the spot and compelled the Additional Director General of Police (Kanpur zone) Alok Singh, along with Divisional Commissioner Raj Shekhar to visit the village, where they assured strict action in this matter.

In another video, posted by Samajwadi Party’s media cell, Shivam, appears to be speaking to a media person. While sobbing, he blamed SDM, Lekhpal as well as the DM, Neha Jain, for the incident. He said they are all in cahoots with each other and conspired against them. He also named a few others, including Neha Jain, Ashok, Anil, Brijesh, Nirmal, Manish who set their hut on fire. He said as the hut caught fire, all the officers fled from the spot. He said we tried saving them from the blazing hut but we were unable to do so.

 

 

Related:

Jammu and Kashmir on Edge as Fear of ‘Eviction’ Haunts Residents

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‘Forcibly Removed by Rampur Admin to Make Way for Hindu Vendors,’ Say Muslim Street Sellers

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