The ongoing anti-encroachment drive that has led to the death of a woman and her daughter in the Kanpur Dehat district on Monday has turned into a full-blown political row in Uttar Pradesh with the Opposition trying to corner the Yogi government which has earned a name for bulldozing illegal properties of criminals.

The state government has already suspended the SDM and Lekhpal after registering FIR against several people involved in the incident that occurred at Madauli village under the Rural police station area on Monday.

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The Kanpur Dehat police had lodged the FIR against nine persons by name, including sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Gyaneshwar Prasad, Lekhpal Ashok Singh and station house officer of a police station Ashok Kumar Gautam, on murder charges.

Meanwhile, UP police on Tuesday did not allow delegations of Samajwadi Party and Congress as also other political outfits to visit the spot which also created a law and order situation. Several Opposition leaders were disallowed from venturing out of their houses as they had announced to visit the spot.

The state government has already gone on a fire-fighting mode by deploying state DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER Brajesh Pathak to pacify the victims’ family, who were refusing to allow the bodies for postmortem and demanding Rs 5 crore and government job as compensation.

Pathak spoke to the family members on Tuesday afternoon and assured them of strict action against the culprits including the officials.

At his persuasion, the family members agreed to allow the port mortem of the bodies and to perform the last rites.

Talking to reporters, Pathak said compensation and other reliefs will be given to the bereaved family immediately as the government stands with the victim’s family.

“Those found guilty will not be spared. A probe committee has been constituted which will submit its report immediately” Dy. CM said.

Commissioner Rajasekhar and ADG Alok Singh along with other officials were camping on the spot.

However, Shivam Dixit, son of the victim, alleged that his mother and sister were burnt alive when SDM, Lekhpal and the police set fire to his house. “I tried to save them but didn’t succeed. We demand CM to visit us and give justice,” he demanded.

Dixit had lodged a case too in which he blamed SDM and others for setting his mother Pramila Dixit (47) and sister, Neha Dixit (21), on fire. He also said the family’s 22 goats died in the fire.

A case has been filed against SDM Gyaneshwar Prasad, Lekhpal Ashok Singh, SHO Rural police station Ashok Kumar Gautam, JCB driver Deepak along with local residents Ashok Dixit, Anil Dixit, Nirmal Dixit, Vishal and other unidentified persons and policemen

The FIR has been lodged under sections 302, 307, 436, 429,323 and 34 of the IPC.

The complainant, Shivam Dixit, had alleged that a team of district administration reached his house Monday without any prior notice and started demolishing the illegal construction on government land. He alleged they set their house on fire even though his mother and sister were present inside. He also alleged that the accused also attempted to throw him and his father into the fire.

On Monday, the district administration team along with local police reached the village to remove the encroachment upon the gram sabha land by deceased Pramila Dixit’s husband Krishna Gopal Dixit. It alleged he had built a thatched cottage and a religious structure at the place.

Officials claimed that when the administration team and the police were busy removing the encroachment, Pramila and her daughter allegedly set themselves on fire. “Pramila went inside the hut and locked it from inside. A few minutes later, the officials spotted flames coming out of the hut. The team managed to bring Krishna Gopal and his son Shivam out of the house safely. A police official also suffered minor burn injuries,” said the official.