Bahraich violence: ‘Bulldozer justice’ awaits main accused Abdul Hameed? Authorities serve demolition notice, say his house is….

The notice issued to Abdul Hameed by the Public Works Department (PWD), the main accused in the October 14 Bahraich communal violence case, states that his house has allegedly constructed on an encroached rural road.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district have issued a notice to the main accused in the Bahraich violence case, stating that his house is “illegally” built on encroached government land and will be demolished within the next three days. The notice issued to Abdul Hameed by the Public Works Department (PWD), the main accused in the October 14 Bahraich communal violence case, states that his house has allegedly constructed on an encroached rural road.

The PWD notice, put up on Abdul Hameed’s house, said the structure violates public land regulations as it stands 60 feet from the center of the road, and will be removed as per the law.

Abdul Hameed, along with his two sons, Faheem and Sarfaraz, are the five accused arrested for their alleged role in the Bahraich violence which led to the death of 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra during a violent Hindu-Muslim confrontation on October 14 when a Durga Puja procession was passing through the area.

On Thursday Sarfaraz alias Rinku and Faheem, who are the sons of the main accused, Abdul Hameed, sustained bullet injuries during an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police near the India-Nepal border when the duo were trying to escape to Nepal.

All five accused have been sent to judicial custody, the police said.

Accused served demolition notice

Meanwhile, the PWD carried out inspections in the Maharajganj area and took measurements of 20-25 houses, including that of Abdul Hameed, one of the accused.

“Every year routine action is taken to demolish houses built on the intersections, S curves or junction points of the road, which obstruct the view from the other side. Around 20-25 such illegal houses have been identified in Maharajganj, to which we are going to issue notices under the Road Control Act 1964,” an official told news agency PTI on the condition of anonymity.

As per the police, the notice put up at Abdul Hameed’s house, the PWD said the construction was “illegal” since it was built within 60 feet of the central point of the road in rural areas, which is not allowed.

“Therefore, you are hereby notified that if this construction has been carried out with the prior approval of the District Magistrate, Bahraich, or the concerned department, please provide the original copy of the approval immediately.

“Additionally, you are required to remove the said illegal construction within three days. Otherwise, the illegal construction will be removed with the assistance of the police and administration, and the expenses incurred for this action will be recovered from you through revenue means,” it read.

BJP MLA Sureshwar Singh from the Mahsi assembly constituency said after the “killers'” arrest, it was time for “another action.”

“The administration has pasted a demolition notice on the illegally constructed house of the main accused Abdul Hameed, the next action will be seen very soon,” he said, indicating a demolition.

Bahraich violence

Ram Gopal Mishra, 22,  was part of a Durga idol procession passing through the Maharajganj area on Sunday when he was shot during a Hindu-Muslim confrontation.

A video which circulated after the incident showed him removing a green flag from the rooftop of a house in a frenzy and supplanting it with a saffron flag. He was shot immediately afterwards.

The district teetered on edge for days in the wake of the killing with incidents of arson and vandalism witnessed from across its areas.

Five men suspected to be involved in Mishra’s death were arrested on Thursday after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police in which two of them suffered gunshot injuries.

The five were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich.

Director General of Police Prashant Kumar had on Thursday identified those arrested as Mohammad Faheem, Mohammad Sarfaraz and Abdul Hameed, who are named in the FIR.

Two others, Mohammad Taleem alias Sabloo and Mohammad Afzal, were nabbed later.

According to Kumar, a police team arrested Faheem and Taleem who gave the location of the weapon used in the crime in the Nanpara area.

(With PTI inputs)