A violent clash during the immersion of a Durga idol in the Hardi area of Bahraich resulted in the death of a young man and left another seriously injured. The incident occurred on Sunday when some youths began throwing stones and fired more than 20 rounds during the immersion procession. The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, who had been married just four months prior. The injured youth, named Rajan (25), is reported to be in critical condition.
Following a post-mortem on Monday, the body was handed over to the family. According to doctors, the deceased’s body showed signs of gunshot wounds and knife marks. After bringing the body home, family members, along with around 5,000 local villagers, gathered at the Mahsi tehsil crossroads, staging a protest by placing the body on the ground. The incident has sparked significant outrage in the area, leading to the deployment of a battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and police from five nearby police stations. Additional police forces have also been called from neighboring districts.
In light of the situation, the Bahraich-Sitapur highway was blocked. The police resorted to lathi charge to control the situation, registering cases against six identified individuals and four unknown assailants, while detaining 25 people. BJP legislators also joined the protest, and tensions escalated when the police attempted to forcibly immerse the idol, leading to further lathi charges.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has promised strict action in response to the incident and has suspended the station officer of Hardi and the in-charge of the Mahsi police post for negligence. The unrest began when a disagreement arose between two groups of youths during the immersion procession, which quickly escalated into stone-pelting and gunfire. Since the incident, heavy tensions have persisted in the area, with police continuously monitoring the situation.
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