LUCKNOW: A day after a Class 10 student was beaten to death allegedly by his schoolmates in broad daylight, communal tension gripped Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Tuesday. Five people, including two named accused, were arrested in connection with the killing, while the Prayagraj police commissioner suspended two cops for dereliction of duty.
A huge protest was staged with the boy’s family members and locals vandalising an ambulance. The protestors then proceeded to the police station alleging that the teenager was beaten to death for opposing the harassment of his cousin sister at the hands of one of the accused belonging to a minority community. The sister also studies in the same Shri Pramanand Smarak Inter College where the deceased was studying.
The police, however, denied the charge of eve-teasing saying the boy was beaten to death after a tiff with the accused over some other issue. Dissatisfied by the police version, the crowd staged a protest in front of Khiri police station seeking action against the culprits and demolition of the houses of the accused.
All senior police and district administration officers, including Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma, rushed to the protest site and pacified the agitators. Ramit Sharma said the situation was under control and additional police forces, including RAF, were deployed.
On the complaint of the boy’s family, an FIR was lodged against two named and three unknown persons. “Two police officials have been suspended on the charges of dereliction of duty,” said Ramit Sharma. Two groups of students had a heated argument followed by a clash on the school campus over some issues on Monday.
Protests break out
A protest was staged with the boy’s family members and locals vandalising an ambulance. The protestors then went to the police station alleging that the teenager was beaten to death for opposing harassment of his cousin's sister by the accused belonging to a minority community.