LUCKNOW: The preliminary investigation report over the Bahraich communal flareup between two communities that led to one death and widespread vandalism has found both an intelligence failure and a planned conspiracy as the factors behind it.
The report, submitted to the DGP headquarters for further action, puts it on complete negligence of the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) and Mahsi Circle Officer Rupendra Kumar Gaur. Consequently, Gaur faced the axe and has been removed from his position. He has been replaced by Ravi Khokhar as the new Circle Officer of Mahsi.
As per the senior Police officials, Gaur has not been suspended but relieved of his duties temporarily pending further investigation. Sources privy to the probe revealed that the Police Circle Officer was not aware of the incident from the start when the people carrying idols for immersion reached Maharajganj market and an altercation broke out.
By the time he reached, the issue had already taken an ugly turn. On the other, the LIU unit of Bahraich district failed to assess the situation both on Sunday and Monday. A detailed report against LIU personnel from the district was separately submitted to the state intelligence headquarters.
The LIU failed to provide inputs about the sensitivity of the area beforehand and lacked a connection with the influential people of the trouble-torn localities. As per a senior official, a large number of sticks and tridents were suddenly arranged along with bricks and stones on the spot with a huge mob mobilised within minutes pointing at a pre-planned conspiracy to disturb the communal fabric of the district.
Some of the CCTV cameras scanned so far have shown the same group of people near the immersion site and indulging in arson and vandalism of shops the next day. Additionally, several social media accounts are under investigation for spreading fake videos and audio during the clashes which further fuelled the violence.
Meanwhile, the Bahraich police, on Wednesday, arrested eight more persons in connection with the Sunday evening arson and communal violence with the total number of arrests standing at 60 so far. Moreover, half a dozen new FIRs were also lodged in connection with incidents of arson and vandalism.
In total, the district police have registered 12 FIRs so far, including the one related to the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra, who was shot dead as the clashes erupted.