UP Eviction Drive Deaths: No Cremation Until Arrests, Says Women's Family

Eighteen hours have passed since Pramila Dixit, 45, and her daughter Neha, 20, died in their hut that was set on fire, allegedly by policemen, during an anti-encroachment drive in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur Dehat. But their family has refused to take their bodies and said they would not cremate them till the accused are arrested.

The burnt bodies still lie in their hut, now reduced to ashes.

District police had initially claimed that the women set themselves on fire. But in a swift U-turn, state police today filed a murder case against 13 people, including the subdivisional magistrate, the in-charge of the local police station and the bulldozer operator. They have also been charged with attempt to murder and voluntarily causing hurt.

The incident took place yesterday in Madauli village when officials of police, district administration and the revenue department had gone to remove encroachments from a "gram samaj" or government land, a police officer said.

The villagers say the officials arrived with a bulldozer and that they were not given any prior notice.

"They started the fire while people were still inside. We were just about able to escape. They broke our temple. Nobody did anything, not even the DM (District Magistrate). Everybody ran, nobody could save my mother," said Pramila's son Shivam Dixit.

"From what we are getting to know, a woman and her daughter locked themselves inside the hut and set it on fire, which has resulted in their death," District police chief BBGTS Murthy said yesterday.

Divisional Commissioner Raj Shekhar later said an inquiry has been ordered. "It is a very unfortunate incident. We are with the family. We will not spare those responsible," he said.

The Opposition has torn into the Yogi Adityanath government over the tragic incident. Main opposition Samajwadi Party alleged that under the BJP rule, Brahmins are being targeted. Upper caste Brahmins comprise an influential group in the state's political landscape.

"Under the Yogi (Adityanath) government, Brahmin families are targeted, and such incidents are taking place selectively. Like Dalits and backwards, Brahmins are also a target of atrocities of the Yogi government," the opposition party said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Congress, too, slammed the state government, saying that "dictatorship is at its pinnacle" in Uttar Pradesh.

"In Kanpur, a Brahmin family's temple was broken, their home razed by a bulldozer. The family kept requesting officials, but they were not heard. Frustrated, the women set themselves on fire and died. Yogi's bulldozer claimed two lives," the party said in a Hindi tweet last night.