In the latest instance of authorities taking ‘bulldozer action’ in Uttar Pradesh, six properties owned by people named in two First Information Reports (FIRs) in Moradabad and Bareilly districts were demolished this week. While the first case was in connection with a shootout in Bareilly on June 22, the second was related to a bid to kidnap a married woman from her maternal house in Moradabad on June 26.
On Friday evening, Moradabad Development Authority (MDA) officials along with several policemen razed a two-storey house owned by a Muslim family in Samdhi Shivpuri village. “Seven people from this family, including the main accused Muslim Hussain, have been named in an FIR at Munda Pandey police station for a bid to kidnap the married daughter of Sunil Kumar,” Akhilesh Bhadauria, Moradabad Superintendent of Police (SP), said. .
When her family members resisted, the intruders fired at her father, her mother Prabha Devi and her brother Pradum Singh. All three are in hospital and the condition of Pradum, who received a bullet in his heart, is said to be critical, the SP added.
Following the incident, Satpal Antil, Moradabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), suspended the Munda Pandey police station in-charge Shailendra Kumar and his predecessor Deepak Malik for laxity in the discharge of official duty. “Malik had been shifted to Rampur district and his suspension letter was sent to Rampur,” the SSP added.
Muniraj G, Moradabad Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, met the injured family members at the hospital on Friday. The woman’s father Sunil allegedly told the DIG that Hussain had also kidnapped his daughter from her in-law’s place in Sambhal district on March 7 and he had lodged an FIR at the area police station but no action was taken. Subsequently, following a complaint by Sunil, DIG Muniraj suspended Satyendra Singh Paliwal, the Sambhal police station in-charge.
Meanwhile, in Bareilly, on June 27, Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) officials led by chairman Manikandan A used bulldozers to demolish the house and hotel owned by builder Rajiv Rana, the main accused in the shootout at Bareilly-Pilibhit bypass road on June 22. Rana had been absconding since June 22 and several police raids to arrest him failed but he surrendered after the bulldozers started demolishing his properties.
On Friday, BDA officials and the police also razed the house, marriage hall and office of Aditya Upadhyay, another main accused in the firing incident.
Fourteen people were named in the FIR, and of these, 11 have been arrested. Raids are on to arrest the others. Former BJP MLA from Bareilly Pappu Bhartaul is also named as an accused in the FIR for sheltering Rana and his associates.
“We have identified illegal properties owned by all 14 accused in the FIR and have served demolition notice. So far, the illegal properties of Rajiv Rana and Aditya Upadhyay have been demolished. The demolition exercise will continue on illegal properties owned by all the accused in the shootout incident,” said Manikandan A.
When the bulldozers were demolishing Upadhyay’s marriage hall, his mother Meera Sharma, who retired as a police inspector from UP Police, protested the move. “No notice was served to my house and the marriage hall before demolition. Both the places are registered in my name and damage to these properties is illegal,” she claimed.
“We have taken the mother and her second son Manvendra in police custody for posing impediments in the official duty of government employees. They were confined to the police station for six hours during the demolition drive. They were released late on Friday evening,” said Rahul Bhati, SP, Bareilly city.