Arranging a meeting of the family members of Ramgopal Mishra with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath glorifies the role of Mishra who had committed a crime by climbing atop the house of one Abdul Hamid and hoisting a saffron flag over his (Abdul Hamdi’s) house that finally resulted in communal clashes.
By Akhilesh Tripathi
LUCKNOW: The death of a person in communal clashes during Durga idol immersion on October 13 in Mahasi town area of Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh has raised several questions. These questions pertain to the failure of the police and district administration to plan properly for taking out the Durga idol procession.
According to reports, music as well as devotional songs, along with praises of BJP leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were being played on DJ all along the route of the Durga idol route. The procession was accompanied by police.
Amid this, Ramgopal Mishra, who was part of the procession carrying idols, suddenly climbed onto the house of one Abdul Hamid by the roadside. He pulled down a green flag that had been hoisted on the house. After tearing down the flag, he hoisted a saffron flag and started shouting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram.”
As Ramgopal Mishra tore down the flag, the railing of the house was also damaged. He then noticed a ladder and attempted to jump down and escape using it. However, the ladder fell, causing Ramgopal Mishra to fall as well. During this time, shots were allegedly fired at him, He sustained bullet injuries and succumbed to his injuries.
It is not clear who exactly fired on Mishra but media reports say it was house owner Abdul Hamid who fired shots.
The communal clashes began after the death of Mishra.
Now, several questions arise: Why did Ramgopal Mishra, a participant in the idol immersion procession, climb onto Abdul Hamid’s house? What motivated him to tear down the green flag? Why didn’t the police, who were accompanying the procession, intervene? Why didn’t the officials present take action? When the bullets were fired, what response did the police have? And when the crowd turned violent, what measures did police take to check it.
These questions underscore the failures of the administration and police in Bahraich. The local intelligence network also proved ineffective. Given that idol immersion occurs annually along a predetermined route with established security protocols, why was there inadequate security this time?
Why weren’t participants in the procession prevented from creating chaos? Was there a shortage of security personnel? These questions place the administration and police in a difficult position. If the authorities had acted decisively, the procession participants would likely not have climbed onto others’ houses or instigated disorder, potentially averting this tragic incident.
These things indicate failures of the administration and police, resulting in the murder of Ramgopal Mishra. Those accused in his murder include Abdul Hamid, his son Sarfaraz (also known as Rinku), Faheem, Raja (also known as Sahir), Nankau, Maroof, and four others. Cases have been filed against them, but all have left their homes with their families, and the police are currently searching for them.
After the violence in Bahraich, a violent crowd surrounded the mortuary during Ramgopal Mishra’s post-mortem, shouting slogans. Later, during his funeral, thousands gathered for a procession armed with sticks and batons, yet the police took no action. Whose orders did the police follow to allow this procession? Why did they permit the carrying of sticks despite the evident tension and potential for violence? These questions raise serious concerns about the administration’s and police’s oversight.
Following the procession, participants escalated the violence, leading to arson and vandalism. The crowd set fire to a motorcycle showroom and a hospital owned by Muslims, while the administration and police remained mute spectators. Once the situation spiralled out of control, Home Secretary Sanjeev Gupta and STF Chief Amitabh Yash arrived from Lucknow to take charge. Amitabh Yash even took a revolver and chased away the rioters, after which the situation began to stabilize.
Meanwhile, Hardi police station in-charge Suresh Kumar Verma, and Mahasi police outpost in-charge Shiv Kumar have been suspended, along with a deputy SP. District Magistrate Neetu Rani and SP Vrinda Shukla also failed to manage the violence. If these officials had acted decisively and promptly, further violence could have been avoided.
Fifty-two individuals accused of inciting communal violence have been arrested and sent to jail. According to the SP, patrols are being conducted in sensitive areas with senior officials, and efforts are underway to identify the rioters based on video footage and conduct raids for their arrests.
BJP MLA from Mahasi Rusreshwar Singh arranged a meeting of deceased Mishra’s family members with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The meeting obscured the criminal act of Mishra and glorified his crime.
The important thing is that if Ramgopal Mishra had not climbed onto Abdul Hamid’s house and torn down the flag, the violence in Bahraich might not have occurred, yet this is being overlooked by the authorities and political leaders.
The police have registered an FIR against 10 individuals in this incident, with six named and four unidentified. All those named are Muslim. As of now, the police have not reported any additional names being registered in connection with this case.
SP President Akhilesh Yadav has expressed concern over the violence, stating, “The arrival of elections and the deterioration of communal harmony is not a coincidence. The public understands everything. Resorting to violence out of fear of defeat is an old strategy. Everyone knows this is a signal for the by-elections.”
CPI National Secretary Dr. Girish commented, “When the idol immersion procession had to pass through a minority-populated area, why didn’t the police make the necessary arrangements? Why was the DJ allowed to play provocative songs during the procession? Such negligence from the police administration directly led to the murder of a young man. Governments in BJP-ruled states have failed to maintain law and order. A judicial inquiry into the Bahraich incident is essential.”
The Rehai Manch has condemned the violence in Bahraich. General Secretary Rajiv Yadav held UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responsible, stating, “Law and order in the state is not being maintained by Yogi Adityanath. Communal tensions are being stirred to divert public attention from fundamental issues like inflation and unemployment.”
Rehai Manch President Mohammad Shoaib remarked, “The BJP is inciting communalism for political polarization. Communal elements are instigating riots and committing arson in the presence of police, while the police are merely spectators. This silence from law enforcement carries deeper implications.”
