UP: Dalit teen killed, 2 injured in clash over installing Ambedkar's board
Rampur (UP), Feb 28: A 17-year-old Dalit boy was killed and two others were injured in a clash over the installation of a board with B R Ambedkar's photo on a disputed land here, police said on Wednesday.
The clash occurred between two groups in Silai Baragaon village in Milak area on Tuesday, police said.
Divisional Commissioner, Moradabad, Aujaneya Kumar Singh said one faction was trying to install a board with the picture of Ambedkar and wanted to install his statue on the land.
They also demanded the land to be turned into a park in his name, he said.
However, the other faction opposed the same and claimed the land belonged to gram samaj, leading to a clash, Singh said.
Sumesh Kumar, who was returning home after giving his Class 10 examination, was killed during the clash and the two injured were rushed to a hospital where their condition is stable, police said.
"The matter will be probed. As family members of victims have registered a complaint that the firing took place and one has died, action will be taken accordingly after probe. Whoever is guilty will be punished," the official said.
The boy's family have alleged that he was killed in police firing. Brijkihore, the victim's brother, said he was at work when he got the news of his brother's death.
"People told me that he died in police firing," he said.
Following the incident, villagers kept the teen's body on a road and staged a protest, but senior police officials pacified them, police said.
"We have assured all help to the family. This is a family of labourers. The situation of the village is under control," the official said.
A video of the incident surfaced on social media showing police engaging in stone pelting and lathicharge.
Divisional Commissioner Singh said the matter is under probe and the victim's family has many demands but police's priority is to conduct the post-mortem and to ascertain how the incident happened.
Action will be taken against those found guilty, he said. "A probe committee will be constituted and a magisterial inquiry will also be done in which all the aspects will be taken care of," he added.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad reached the village and met the family members of the deceased. Azad attacked the ruling BJP government over the incident and demanded a compensation of Rs 50 Lakh and a job to a member of the deceased's family.
"Sumesh has shown that if attempts are made to remove the Constitution of Bhimrao Ambedkar, lakhs of Sumesh will be there to sacrifice their lives but not allow any harm to the Constitution."
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Voting underway for local body elections in Gujarat
Ahmedabad (PTI): Voting got underway on Sunday morning for elections to several local bodies in Gujarat, including 15 municipal corporations and 84 municipalities.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, as per the schedule announced by the State Election Commission.
The elections are being held for 15 municipal corporations, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats and 260 taluka panchayats, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the state.
A total of 9,992 candidates are in the fray, with more than 4.18 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise.
A three-tier security is in place, aided by CCTV surveillance and deployment of special squads in sensitive areas, police officials said.
The polls are being conducted under revised norms for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations, and required extensive delimitation and restructuring of wards in several districts.
The ruling BJP, Opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have emerged as the key players, while All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is also contesting in several places.
Among notable candidates are former Gujarat-cadre IPS officer M L Ninama, ex-radio jockey Abha Desai, and former AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani.
Ninama is contesting from the Odh seat in Shamlaji taluka for the Arvalli district panchayat elections, while the BJP has nominated Bhayani from the Bhesan seat of the Junagadh district panchayat.
Desai, popularly known as RJ Abha, is contesting as a Congress candidate from ward number 10 of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.
Elections are also being held for the first time in nine newly-created municipal corporations, including Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar and Surendranagar.
Counting of votes will take place on April 28.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel campaigned extensively for the BJP.
The AAP had taken the lead over other parties in launching the campaign, with its national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing several rallies across Gujarat.
In a first for AAP, the Kejriwal-led party is contesting around 5,000 seats in local polls.
Other contestants include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Independents.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi campaigned in the final phase, addressing public meetings in Ahmedabad and Bhuj.
In March 2021, the BJP scored a landslide win in the local polls in Gujarat, winning 6,236 out of 8,470 seats across various municipalities and establishing a wide gap with rival Congress.
The BJP had then dominated all six municipal corporations, besides 81 municipalities, 32 district panchayats, and 231 taluka panchayats.
