29yo man dies in group clash, kin block road with body

Pilibhit: Family members of a 29-year-old man who died after a group clash blocked the Bisalpur-Bareilly Road on Wednesday morning by placing the body on the road and demanding immediate arrest of the five accused. Ravi Prakash succumbed to injuries at a private hospital in Bareilly on Tuesday. Police said he, along with his father and brother, was allegedly assaulted while irrigating their agricultural field in Govalpatipura village on March 27. Officials said the clash stemmed from a long-standing dispute over agricultural land. The deceased’s maternal grandfather, Ram Singh Yadav, had transferred his 1.5-acre agricultural land to his elder daughter, Anita Devi, in 2022, leaving the younger daughter without any share. Protesters, backed by local villagers, also demanded that a cross FIR registered against them be quashed. Police said cases were filed from both sides following the clash, including charges under BNS Section 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty). Senior police and administrative officials, including SDM Nagendra Pandey, CO Pragati Chauhan and SHO Sanjiv Shukla, reached the spot to control the situation. The blockade lasted over two hours and was lifted after officials assured the family that the accused would be arrested soon. “The body was kept on the road as a mark of protest. We have been assured that all the accused will be arrested soon,” a family member said. The family also warned they would not perform the last rites until their demands were met. Police said an FIR was registered on March 29 based on a complaint by the deceased’s brother, Brajesh Kumar. CO Pragati Chauhan said, “Seven teams have been deployed to ensure swift arrests. The investigation will be conducted fairly, and no innocent person will be harassed,” she said.