Police have arrested another man in connection with the murder of Chandan Gupta, who was allegedly shot dead in the clashes between two communities on 26 January in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj.
The arrested individual has been identified as Rahat Qureshi.
As per media reports, Piyush Srivastav, Kasganj Superintendent of Police, said special operations group (SOG) arrested Rahat Qureshi and booked him for murder, continuing its crackdown against the January 26 incident.
Earlier, the prime accused in the killing, Saleem, was arrested and is in jail though his two brothers, also accused, Naseem and Waseem are still at large. Saleem operates a cloth house in Kasganj.
Chandan was shot dead during the communal clashes in Kasganj town after volunteers of organisations like the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Hindu Mahasabha and ABVP, during their ‘Tiranga Yatra’, clashed with members of Muslim community. This resulted in heated exchange of words and eventually escalated to firing in which Gupta lost his life
The killing triggered communal riots and the district was singed with arson and vandalism, leaving some persons injured and property gutted.
As many as 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday increased security outside the house of Kasganj violence’s victim Chandan Gupta after his family alleged they were being threatened to not pursue the murder case.
Chandan’s father Sushil Gupta said he was sitting outside the house when some youth from the neighbourhood came and threatened him that they won’t spare him if you take the matter forward.