38 convicted for death of UP inspector during riots over ‘cow slaughter’ | Meerut News

MEERUT: A court in Bulandshahr on Wednesday convicted 38 men of rioting, arson and murder during violence triggered by cow-slaughter rumours in Dec 2018 that led to the deaths of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and Sumit Kumar, 19. The clashes took place in Siyana area after a cow carcass was found in a sugarcane field near Mahav village. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug 1, and all convicts are in judicial custody.Singh, who was posted at Siyana police station, died in the attack while trying to control the mob. He had earlier served as investigating officer in the Sept 2015 Dadri lynching case in which Mohammad Akhlaq was killed over similar rumours. He was transferred to Varanasi in Nov 2015, midway through the probe, after arresting several key accused. He was also heading several peace committee meetings between two communities.

On Dec 3, 2018, around 400 people blocked the highway, stormed the Chingrawati police outpost and set police infrastructure ablaze. Singh was hit by stones, chased into a field, and then shot in the head; his service pistol and phone were taken. An autopsy confirmed he died from a gunshot wound among other injuries. Sumit also died of a bullet injury during the exchange.The court of additional district judge-12 convicted Prashant Nat, Rahul Kumar, David, Lokendra and Johnny, along with a juvenile, for murder under IPC section 302. Others, including Yogesh Raj — a panchayat member and then Bulandshahr convenor of Bajrang Dal — and Chaman, were convicted under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147, 148 (rioting), 504, 506 (criminal intimidation), 332, 353 (assault on a public servant), and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. A BJP worker was also among those convicted. A separate case involving the juvenile is being heard in juvenile court.Special counsel Yashpal Singh Raghav, appointed by govt, told TOI that police had initially registered cases against 27 named and 50–60 unidentified villagers. Charges were later filed against 44 individuals, including the juvenile. “Five accused — Ashish Kumar alias Chhotu, Chandrapal Singh, Ajay Kumar, Ominder and Kuldeep — died during trial,” he said.The initial FIR lodged by Bulandshahr police named Yogesh and others, including BJP youth wing leader Shikhar Agarwal, for leading the mob and instigating violence using illegal firearms, sharp-edged weapons and lathis. Raghav said, “Though the court could not confirm sedition charges under IPC 124, and police did not charge Yogesh with murder, he was named as the main instigator of the violence that led to the deaths and arson.“Police arrested Prashant Nat on Dec 27, 2018, and he confessed to snatching Singh’s pistol and firing the fatal shot. Yogesh remained absconding for nearly a month before being arrested on Jan 2, 2019, and later secured bail from Allahabad high court in Sept 2019. Singh’s wife, Rajni, challenged the bail in Supreme Court, which cancelled it on Jan 5, 2022, calling the lynching of a police officer a grave matter.The court directed Yogesh to surrender within seven days and return to custody. Sedition charges were initially dropped by the court in March 2020 due to lack of sanction, but were reinstated in June 2020 after UP govt granted permission. These charges were upheld in the court’s July 29, 2024, verdict. In May 2021, Yogesh contested and won the district panchayat election from ward number 5 of Bulandshahr.