24 people killed in Mathura clashes
Twenty four people, including an SP and an SHO, were killed in a massive clash between police and encroachers. The violence erupted during a drive to evict illegal occupants of a land in Mathura district. Over 320 people have been arrested in connection to the clashes, including 124 for creating disturbances, and 196 under Section 151 CrPC, which deals with preventive arrests.
Who are the encroachers?
For over two years, members of the Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi had occupied hundreds of acres of Jawahar Bagh park in Mathura, on the pretext of 'dharna'. Members of the group earlier followed religious guru, Baba Jai Gurudev. After the Baba's death in 2012, some had started calling themselves "revolutionaries" and claimed to be true followers of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
What have the encroachers been demanding?
The encroachers have been demanding the cancellation of the elections of the President and Prime Minister of India, replacing the existing currency with 'Azad Hind Fauj' currency and the sale of 60 litres of diesel and 40 litres of petrol for Rs 1, among others things.
Allahabad HC eviction order
Despite multiple notices from Mathura district administration, the squatters had not moved out of Jawahar Bagh. The U.P. Horticultural department officials too failed to clear the land. The Allahabad High Court, acting on a PIL, recently directed the authorities to get the land vacated. Clashes arose when the police team attempted to remove around 3000 members of the protesting group.
Armed protesters attack unprovoked police
Uttar Pradesh's Director General of Police said that there was unprovoked firing from protesters when police attempted to remove them. The squatters, equipped with hand grenades and automatic weapons, fired at the police and the police resorted to a baton charge, tear gas shelling and finally gun fire. City SP Mukul Dwivedi, leading the eviction drive, was injured and later died in hospital.
24 people killed in Mathura clashes
Twenty four people, including an SP and an SHO, were killed in a massive clash between police and encroachers. The violence erupted during a drive to evict illegal occupants of a land in Mathura district. Over 320 people have been arrested in connection to the clashes, including 124 for creating disturbances, and 196 under Section 151 CrPC, which deals with preventive arrests.
Akhilesh orders probe, Rajnath Singh reviews the situation
Assuring that strictest action will be taken against the encroachers, UP Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav ordered a probe into the incident. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the family of the deceased policemen. Union Home Minster Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation and expressed his anguish over the loss of lives. He offered all assistance from the centre to the state.
UP launches probe into Mathura violence
The Samajwadi Party government started an investigation into the Mathura violence, as the death toll rose to 29 with two more persons dying of injuries. Chief Minister AkhileshYadav has increased the compensation to the two slain police officers from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant would be posted as the presiding officer of the probe committee.
SC to hear PIL for Mathura CBI probe
The Supreme Court will hear a PIL that seeks to initiate a CBI inquiry into the violence in Mathura. The PIL, filed by lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay, sought an urgent hearing saying the CBI probe is necessary, looking at the gravity of the violence. The petitioner requested the court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter and order a probe.
SC rejects CBI inquiry, UP initiates judicial probe
After the Supreme Court rejected the idea of a CBI inquiry into the Mathura clashes, the UP government has set up a judicial probe into the incident. The UP government appointed retired Allahabad High Court judge Imtiyaz Murtaza to conduct the inquiry and submit a report in 2 months. The inquiry will seek to ascertain the conditions that led up to the clashes.
80 intel inputs warned of Mathura cult
The UP government received over 80 intelligence inputs spanning over 350 pages over the last 1.5 years about illegal arms with the squatters at Jawahar Bagh. Police officials stated that the reports were sent to the police headquarters as well as the home affairs department. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the government's inaction "smacks of institutionalised crime with an ulterior motive."
Mathura clashes main accused Chandan Bose arrested
UP police arrested Chandan Bose, one of the prime accused in Mathura violence, from Basti district of the state. Bose is accused of killing SHO Santosh Yadav. Ram Vriksh Yadav, Chandan Bose, Girish Yadav and Rakesh Gupta are the main culprits and members of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi, the group behind violence. Ram Vriksh Yadav, the group's leader, died during the clashes.
