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HomeIndiaPost-constable murder, fear grips Ghaziabad village after police crackdown; most shops shut

Post-constable murder, fear grips Ghaziabad village after police crackdown; most shops shut

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Ghaziabad, May 30 (PTI) A tense silence hung over Nahal village in Ghaziabad district on Friday as most of the market remained shuttered and once-crowded mosques stood nearly empty.

The usual bustle of a summer Friday had given way to fear and uncertainty, as police continued their crackdown following the murder of an on-duty constable on Sunday night.

Nahal village in the Masuri area of Ghaziabad came into the spotlight earlier this week when constable Saurabh Kumar Deshwal, 28, attached to the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police, was shot dead during a raid to arrest a criminal.

The aftermath has seen heightened police activity across the area. While police say they are targeting only named suspects, villagers claim innocent residents are being caught in the dragnet.

On Friday in Nahal, a village of nearly 40,000 residents, where 28 mosques usually overflow with worshippers for ‘Jumme ki Namaz’ (Friday prayers), only five to 10 people offered prayers in each mosque this afternoon.

The shops, too, bore witness to the prevailing panic — only a handful of roadside kiosks selling cigarettes and essentials were open while the rest remained firmly shut.

“Ninety per cent of our people have gone to stay with relatives in nearby villages,” said village head Haji Tasavur Ali.

“Police sirens keep blaring through the night. People are afraid of being picked up or harassed.” The unease follows the arrest of Adil, the brother of the prime accused Qadir, in the murder case of constable Deshwal. Adil was arrested on Thursday after a brief encounter with Wave City police.

Acting on a tip-off that he was travelling toward Nahal via the Dasna-Ikla road, police attempted to intercept a man on a motorcycle.

According to ACP Wave City Priyanshi Pal, the suspect tried to flee and opened fire. He was apprehended and later sent to jail.

Adil’s arrest marks the sixth encounter carried out by Ghaziabad police since the killing of constable Deshwal. Police have so far arrested six accused men, who had attacked the police team on Sunday night.

That night, a team from the neighbouring district Gautam Buddh Nagar’s Phase-3 police station had entered Nahal village in search of Qadir, a known criminal. The officers, allegedly in plain clothes and without coordinating with local police, were mistaken for intruders by the villagers.

In the ensuing chaos, shots were fired and constable Deshwal, 28, was killed by a bullet to the head.

DCP Rural Surendra Nath Tiwari told PTI on Friday that the crackdown was focused on known offenders.

“There are 39 history-sheeters and 44 robbers registered at Masuri police station. Many of them are involved in criminal activities across NCR and western Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

Asked about the low turnout for Friday prayers, DCP Tiwari said police had not stopped or questioned any worshippers.

“There has been no interference in religious practice. We are only acting against those who are wanted in the murder case,” he added.

Earlier this week, Kunwar Ayyub Ali, vice president of Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Uttar Pradesh unit, submitted a memorandum to Ghaziabad Police Commissioner J Ravindra Goud.

In the memorandum, he raised concerns over alleged police excesses in Nahal village, claiming that raids were being used as a cover to intimidate innocent villagers. PTI COR KIS MAN KSS KSS

This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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