Bahraich Violence: Victim Died Due to Shock and Excessive Bleeding

Bahraich (UP): Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, who was shot dead during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich on October 13, sparking arson and violence in the Uttar Pradesh district, died due to “shock and excessive bleeding.” This was stated by Bahraich Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Sanjay Kumar after the postmortem examination revealed that as many as “25 to 30 pellets” were found on the deceased’s body, which also had injury marks.

“The report revealed that there were serious injury marks around the left eye and on the toenails,” Dr. Kumar said. He noted that the postmortem was conducted by a panel of three doctors late on Sunday night and was videographed.

ADG Gorakhpur KS Pratap informed the media that Mahsi’s Circle Officer Rupendra Gaur had been removed and attached to the SP office due to “negligence” related to Sunday’s incident.

Ravi Khokhar from Rampur has replaced him as the CO of Mahsi. Earlier, Hardi police station in-charge Suraj Kumar Verma and Mahsi police chowki in-charge Shiv Kumar Saroj were suspended.

So far, 55 people have been arrested in 11 separate cases filed after the incident.

Police on Wednesday arrested Danish, alias Shaheer Khan, one of the six accused named in the murder case.

According to police, the first case was registered on Sunday night at the Hardi police station against six named and four unidentified people on behalf of the deceased’s family.

In addition, a case was registered at Kotwali Nagar against those allegedly involved in vandalizing a hospital. Nine cases have been filed by both communities against each other for vandalism and arson.

Of the 11 total cases, two were registered on October 13, two on October 14, and seven on October 15.

Among them, four cases were filed by the police and seven by the public.

Mobile internet and broadband services remained suspended for the third consecutive day in violence-hit Maharajganj, impacting daily life and business.

However, the situation in and around the area is returning to normal with no reports of untoward incidents since Tuesday, police said.

There was a heavy police presence in the district, particularly within a 20-km radius of Maharajganj town in Mahsi tehsil, where communal violence erupted on Sunday, leading to one death.

In light of Bahraich’s proximity to the Nepal border, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has stepped up border vigilance and coordinated with their counterparts to monitor “unnecessary” movement of people, a senior officer said.

“No untoward incidents have been reported since Tuesday. The situation is under control in the area that saw violence on Sunday and Monday,” a local police officer told PTI.

However, the ongoing internet suspension has severely affected business, according to local trade officials, leaving the district virtually isolated.

SSB's 42nd battalion Commandant Ganga Singh Udawat stated that security along the border was enhanced immediately after the Sunday incident, per instructions from the force’s DIG-IG headquarters.

“We have communicated with Nepal’s Armed Police Force, asking them to check any unnecessary cross-border movement at Rupaidiha (Bahraich) and increase frisking efforts,” Udawat told PTI.

He added that movement along the India-Nepal border tends to rise during Dussehra, a major festival in Nepal.

UP Udyog Vyapar Mandal’s Bahraich chapter president, Gauri Shankar Bhaniramka, stated that the suspension of internet services has significantly impacted local businesses.

“ Business worth crores has been affected due to the internet shutdown,” he said.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old Satyavan Mishra, who was physically disabled and injured in the Sunday violence, was transferred to Lucknow on Tuesday evening for better medical treatment, according to a hospital official.

He had been admitted to Bahraich’s medical college.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the UP government said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was receiving hourly updates on the situation in Bahraich and had ordered the deployment of additional forces along with senior police and administrative officers on the ground.

(With PTI inputs)