Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The investigation into Bulandshahr violence, which claimed two lives, took a turn when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) stumbled upon a CCTV footage while scanning hundreds of videos spotting a youth who was part of the mob, allegedly shooting inspector Subodh Kumar Singh on fateful last Monday.

As per the reports, the youth was spotted by the officials of SIT, headed by IG Meerut range Ram Kumar, in the CCTV footage of Dilawari Devi Kanya PG College near Chaingrawati police outpost, the

epicentre of December 3 mob violence.

As per the sources, the youth, identified as the one hailing from Chingrawati village, was seen with a group of five youngsters surrounding the deceased inspector during the violence. As per the

sources, the CCTV footage showed the inspector running in a field and being chased by a mob. In the melee, as Sumit, who was also a part of the frenzied mob, sustained a gunshot. As a result, this youth (seen in the CCTV footage) got agitated, he allegedly snatched the service revolver of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and shot at him. The cop received the bullet injury near his left eye brow and succumbed to it. Of the other four youths accompanying the alleged shooter, two belonged to Chingrawati and rest two to Mahaw village.

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It may be recalled that in a number of video footages, deceased youth Sumit was allegedly seen with stone in hand indicating that he was part of rampaging mob and indulged in pelting stones at the police party. However, it is yet to be known as who fired at Sumit who died in a Meerut hospital during treatment. During the course of inquiry, the SIT had hinted that both victims --the inspector and Sumit --had sustained the bullets fired from the weapon of same bore.32.

Significantly, the youth, who was spotted in the CCTV footage allegedly firing at the inspector, is not named in the FIR lodged in connection with rioting, violence and murder in Bulandshahr. However,

he has been absconding along with his entire family since the day of trouble, said the sources. On a lookout trail of the youth, the STF and crime branch teams have been raiding Chingrawati village repeatedly since Monday but to no success as of now.

READ | Local BJP leaders had demanded transfer of slain police officer days before violence

The district police, till now, have arrested nine persons, including soldier Jeetendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji, Chaman, Devendra, Rohit, Sonu, Chandrapal, Lala Gujjar, and Kuldeep Tyagi. However,

some prominent right wing activists including Yogesh Raj of Bajrang Dal, Shishir Agarwal of BJP youth wing and a few others, named in the FIR related to the trouble have been away from police net since last Monday.

As per ADG, Meerut zone, Prashant Kumar, the police teams were hunting for the youth who was seen allegedly shooting the inspector and that he would be nabbed soon. Meanwhile, a third FIR was filed by the UP Police in Bulandshahar violence The FIR was filed on the basis of a written complaint by Amarjeet, the father of the 20-year-old youth Sumit, who was also killed along with inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in the December 3 violence.

"Based on Amarjeet's written complaint, an FIR has been lodged under sections of murder against unknown persons at the Syana Kotwali. The FIR will be merged with the existing FIR of the ongoing probe in the violence," Pravin Ranjan Singh, superintendent of police (city) said.