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Kasganj violence: Police arrest man for ‘killing’ Chandan Gupta

The accused in the death of Chandan Gupta, who was killed during communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj town, has…

Kasganj violence: Police arrest man for ‘killing’ Chandan Gupta

The accused Saleem (Photo: Twitter)

The accused in the death of Chandan Gupta, who was killed during communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj town, has been arrested, the police said on Wednesday.

The accused is identified as Saleem, who operates a cloth house in Kasganj.

Chandan was allegedly 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

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Senior police officer Anand Kumar said that Saleem fired the shot either from the roof of his house or the balcony, as per statements of some witnesses.

It is yet to be ascertained if the accused, Saleem, has a criminal record or not. Two of his brothers have also been named in the killing that took place after a “Tiranga Yatra” to mark Republic Day in the Kasganj town.

A video from Kasganj town has surfaced on social media in which unidentified youths can be seen brandishing swords, sticks and guns, according to NDTV report.

As per media reports, the police are investigating the authenticity of the video and sequence of the footage, which is purportedly recorded on 26 January. Not long after the video, mobs had vandalised multiple shops, house and buses.

The video which was shot from a rooftop also has several gunshots sounds.

As many as 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence following which security forces are maintaining strict vigil.

District authorities in Kasganj, said the situation was returning to normal even as more arrests were being made in connection with the violence.

The state authorities also presented a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to family members of Chandan Gupta, who was killed in the violence.

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