Babar Ali murder case: Gorakhpur cop sent to police lines for laxity

GORAKHPUR: The Muslim youth Babar Ali, who died due to injuries after being thrashed by a family in the neighbourhood from the same community, was buried in Kathgharhi village under Ramkola police station area in Kushinagar district on Sunday.
Ali had been assaulted by his neighbours and relatives on March 20 evening and succumbed at a hospital in Lucknow on March 25.
In her complaint to the police, Babar's wife Fatima Khatoon said that the neighbors were angry because her husband actively campaigned for BJP and the family voted for the ruling party.
Police, however, said that the two families had a dispute over a drainage channel and a challan under 151 CrPC had been issued five months ago.
Senior officials, meanwhile, sent SHO Ramkola Durgesh Kumar Singh to police lines on Monday for laxity in the case.
Talking to reporters, Babar's brother Chand said the neighbours had been threatening his brother since the last four months as he was campaigning for BJP.
They were putting pressure on him to vote for Samajwadi Party, but he refused and said it was his right, and voted for BJP,” he added. Chand further alleged that Babar had approached police officials for protection but got no help and was fatally thrashed in the end.
Deceased’s mother Zaibunisa also alleged that the neighbours were continuously threatening her son as he campaigned and voted for BJP. “Even the Gram Pradhan had backed neighbours saying ‘Jo hoga, main dekh loonga’ (I’ll manage if anything happens),” she added.
ASP Ritesh Kumar Singh said the family of the deceased and neighbours are relatives and had a dispute over a drainage channel. “Both were issued challans under 151 CrPC five months ago and were asked to live peacefully. Two accused have been arrested while a hunt is on for the other two. Investigation is under way and the culprits won’t be spared,” the ASP added.
Rohit Kumar, a social worker of the village, said the deceased’s family never voted for the present gram pradhan and even his father campaigned for BJP. “All the people living in Kathgharhi khas tola got toilets, but this family didn’t. They were not even having a ration card. The neighbours were angry as he was a BJP supporter and opposed the gram Pradhan,” said Kumar.