A BJP supporter was killed and several others injured in a clash with the police over the trafficking of cows in Ballia district on Friday night.
A BJP supporter was killed and several others injured in a clash with the police over the trafficking of cows in Ballia district on Friday night.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav night suspended Ballia district magistrate Rakesh Kumar and SSP Manoj Kumar Jha on Saturday for mishandling the situation which led to the violence.
According to reports, the police seized a mini truck on Friday night in Ballia. The truck was carrying seven cows, but the paperwork to establish ownership of the cows and to transport them was not in order.
The police claim that the truck driver escaped when the police apprehended the vehicle. The animals were then taken to the police station.
Soon after, BJP legislator Upendra Tiwari reached the police station with his supporters and demanded the release of the cows. He claimed that a villager named Vinod Yadav had bought the animals from a local fair and they were being transported with all legitimate paperwork.
Mr Tiwari said that the police beat up the driver after seizing the truck and snatched Rs 50,000 from him.
“The police station in-charge beat up the driver badly and also snatched Rs 50,000 from him. The driver contacted me in the morning and I went to the police station. The officer also said he would teach me a lesson and refused to release the truck and the cows even after the legitimate receipt was produced,” the BJP MLA told reporters.
Following the refusal, the two parties clashed and the police allegedly resorted to lathi charge and also used teargas. A supporter of Mr Tiwari, Vinod Rai, was allegedly shot by the cops though the police have denied the allegation.
Ballia SSP Manoj Jha said, “The cops were hit with stones and then we had to resort to a lathi charge. We were ready to hand over the cows provided we were given a legitimate receipt, but they were unwilling. There are allegations that a man has died in police firing but we have no such report that any cop fired at the protesters.”
Meanwhile, in view of the prevailing tension in the area, additional forces from other districts have been rushed to Ballia and the body has been sent for post mortem.
