Bajrang Dal men didn’t open fire; inspector killed by police bullet, says BJP MLA

Ballia, Dec 4: The police inspector who died during the Bulandshahr violence was killed in police firing, BJP MLA Surendra Singh claimed on Tuesday, denying any role of Bajrang Dal members in the death.

Terming the incident "unfortunate", the Rohaniya legislator said police did not "murder" him deliberately.

Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who had initially probed the 2015 lynching of Mohammed Akhlaq, and a 20-year-old local man died of gunshot injuries on Monday as a rampaging mob protesting alleged illegal cow slaughter torched a police post in Bulandshahr and clashed with cops.

"I suspect that the inspector was killed by bullet fired by police. Bajrang Dal activists might have engaged in brick batting but they did not open fire. They had not gone there with bullets," the MLA told reporters here.

Police officials, however, said the main accused in the case is Bajrang Dal Bulandshahr district convenor Yogesh Raj, who has not yet been arrested. Others accused are members of the VHP and BJP youth wing.

The MLA said the people indulged in stone pelting but police opened fire on them and the inspector was hit by their gunshot. "Police did not murder him deliberately," he said.

Twenty-seven people have been named in an FIR registered around 3 am following the Monday violence, while cases have been lodged against 50 to 60 unidentified people, officials said.

Of the 27 named, at least four are workers and functionaries of right-wing organisations, including the Bajrang Dal, they said.

Police said four persons were arrested. Singh said, "The probe in the matter is on and it would be ascertained that bullet of which bore hit the inspector."