LUCKNOW: The main conspirator and one of the accused in the Raebareli massacre was arrested by the district police on Monday. The arrest comes a day after chief minister Yogi Adityanath set the 10-day deadline for cops to crack the case.
Three people were lynched and two burnt alive in Apta village of Unchahar area in the district on the night of Eid last week. The accused was identified as former block chief Shiv Kumar Yadav, who was believed to be the key conspirator in this case, said police sources.
However, two main accused – Raja Yadav and his brother Krishna– were held immediately after the incident. Both are sons of former woman village pradhan Ram Shree Yadav of Apta village.
On Sunday, while announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh next to the kin of those killed, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had given a 10-day deadline to the police administration to nab the accused and resolve the case.
Expressing his grief and offering condolences to the bereaved family, the CM instructed inspector general Lucknow Range Abhay Kumar to crack it within 10 days and bring all the culprits to book.
The assailants, who were part of a frenzied mob of Apta villagers, had after a chase, set the victims’ SUV on fire and dismembered their bodies after killing them.
Trouble began when Rohit Shukla, (38) former pradhan of Tevara village in neighbouring Pratapgarh district went with five of his friends to Raja Yadav’s house following a land dispute. The argument took a turn for the worst when expletives were exchanged and gunshots fired in the air by Rohit Shukla.
Sensing trouble, the six men fled the scene but were later trapped after their SUV careened off the road after colliding with an electric pole. They were approached by the angry, cane-wielding mob who dragged and beat Rohit Shukla, Brijendra and Narendra. The trio died instantly while Anoop and Ankush were trapped and burnt alive in the car. Only the driver, Manish, managed to flee the spot.