LUCKNOW: A year after communal violence in Bahraich that left one person dead, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police have invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against eight accused who are currently jailed on charges of murder and rioting.
Communal clashes erupted in the Maharajganj area of central UP on October 13, after locals allegedly asked for the music to be turned off during a Durga idol immersion procession passing through a Muslim-dominated locality.
A heated argument escalated into clashes and stone-pelting between the two communities. The situation worsened when gunshots were allegedly fired, and a resident, Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, sustained a bullet wound while trying to replace a green flag on a building with a saffron one. Mishra was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The incident intensified the violence, and several properties, including business establishments and houses, were set ablaze. Rioters also clashed with the police, and it took over a month for normalcy to return, during which heavy security forces remained deployed.
According to Circle Officer (CO) of Mahsi area, Dhirendra Kumar Srivastava, the DM had endorsed the recommendation to invoke the NSA against the eight accused two days ago. The eight accused are Maroof Ali, Nankau, Mohammad Fahim, Mohammad Afzal, Mohammad Zeeshan, Javed, Shoaib Khan, and Saif Ali.
Earlier, the government had approved the NSA against five other accused in the same case after the administration made a recommendation. Following the violence, police had also booked rioters from the other community for indulging in arson, and many of them were sent to jail.
District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi, while justifying the action, said, “This step has been taken in the interest of public peace, law, and security. If anyone attempts to disturb peace in the future, strict action will be taken on similar lines.”
The Uttar Pradesh government has directed strict enforcement of law and order across the state. Under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980, the eight accused have been formally detained, and further proceedings are underway as per government orders.