LUCKNOW: The Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and the driver of the JCB were arrested in connection with the alleged immolation of two women in the Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
Pramila Dixit (44) and her daughter Neha (20) allegedly immolated themselves by locking themselves in their thatched hut which caught fire during an anti-encroachment drive by the district administration.
Another 38 persons were also booked in connection with the incident.
The district administration, after a primary investigation, suspended SDM Gyaneshwar Prasad and Lekhpal Ashok Singh for conducting the anti-encroachment drive. It was found that the family of Krishna Gopal Dixit who had been allegedly living illegally on the gram panchayat land were not given prior notice to move before the drive took place.
The Roora police station in-charge, who had accompanied the anti-encroachment team led by the SDM and Lekpal along with other revenue officials, has also been removed.
Meanwhile, the local villagers registered massive protests against the district administration authorities on Tuesday accusing the anti-encroachment team of setting the thatched hut on fire while trying to bulldoze it.
The angry villagers claimed that during the demolition using JCB, the roof of the hut came crashing down and caught fire, burying the mother-daughter duo under the debris.
“My mother and sister died. SDM, Lekhpal and police personnel along with some miscreants set my house on fire. I tried to save them but failed. We demand the CM to ensure justice to us,” said Shivam Dixit, son of Krishna Gopal Dixit.
After the incident, the family of the deceased refused to perform their last rites until the state government fulfilled their demands - Rs 5 crore compensation, a government job to one of the two sons of Dixit and rights of 5 bigha land to each of the two sons. They also sought immediate arrest of the accused.
Kanpur Divisional Commissioner Dr Raj Shekhar stayed the whole night in the village to pacify the aggrieved family and convince them to perform the last rites but to no avail. Meanwhile, a police force was called in from adjoining stations and a heavy contingent was deployed in the village.
Taking cognizance of the incident, UP CM Yogi Adityanath directed the local MLA and minister of state for women and child welfare and nutrition Pratibha Shukla to visit the aggrieved family. The minister after meeting the victims’ family expressed dismay saying it was futile to be a minister of women and child welfare if she was not able to protect the two women in her constituency who had just lost their lives.
However, Kanpur Dehat District Magistrate Neha Jain claimed that the victims had set themselves on fire.
As per sources, a relative of the Dixit family had submitted a complaint last month that Pramila’s husband Krishna Gopal Dixit had built a house on the gram panchayat land. Following that, a team from the district administration went to the village and removed the encroachment. A case was also lodged against Krishna Gopal Dixit.
On Monday, a revenue team, led by SDM Gyaneshwar Prasad along with police personnel went to the village to find that Krishna Gopal Dixit had built a temple and a hut at the place.
“When the administration team and police were busy removing the encroachment including a government handpump and the temple, Pramila went inside the hut and locked it from inside. A few minutes later, the officials spotted flames coming out of the hut. The team managed to bring Krishna Gopal Dixit and his son Shivam outside safely. A police official also sustained minor burn injuries,” the officials of the district administration added. A fire tender was also called to the spot.
UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak claimed that a probe committee was set up to look into the matter and it would submit its report in a day. He assured the aggrieved family that the guilty would not be spared.