Dramatic Arrest Of UP Murder Accused After Encounter Near Nepal

Mohammad Sarfaraz -- wanted for the murder of a man in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh that triggered largescale violence -- and four others were arrested after an encounter with the police today near the Nepal border in the district. Sarfaraz is accused of shooting a man during Saturday's Durga idol immersion procession in Mahrajganj area of Mansoor village. The police had gone there to recover the weapon that was used. 

The shooting took place on Saturday during violence that started as an altercation over the playing of music on loudspeakers during the immersion procession. 

But the next day, it led to largescale violence, arson, and clashes with the police as the family of Ram Gopal Mishra refused to cremate the body and held a sit-down protest. They relented only after assurances of action from the police and administration officials. 

The police later conducted flag marches and snapped cellphone internet to bring the situation under control. Later, additional troops, including some paramilitary forces units, had to be called in to ensure surveillance.  

Later, acting on information provided by one of the 50 men arrested in connection with the violence, the police had caught up with Sarfaraz and others near the Nepal border. But the men, intent on crossing the border, had opened fire at the police with the murder weapon. 

In the exchange of fire that followed, Sarfaraz and another accused in the case, Mohammed Talib, got injured. They are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital. The police said the murder weapon has been recovered. 

Amitabh Yash, the chief of the Special Task force, Uttar Pradesh, said the men will now be able to shed light on what happened during the violence. "They will be able to give information on whatever network they used and how they evaded the police over the last few days," he added.  

The matter is now threatening to develop into a full-scale political controversy, with the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) accusing the Yogi Adityanath government of covering up its law and order problems with an encounter. 

"This incident was an administrative failure. The government is resorting to encounters to cover up its shortcomings. If encounters were truly improving law and order in the state, Uttar Pradesh would be far ahead of other states," said Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav.

"The government has been conducting fake encounters for a long time. They are merely trying to cover up their failures," UP Congress President Ajay Rai was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The STF, though, has said it would prove in court whether the encounter was genuine or not.