Man attacked for opposing girl's harassment, dies

LUCKNOW: The man who was beaten up mercilessly for lashing out at a youth in Moradabad district for harassing his minor daughter, succumbed to injuries on the intervening night on late Friday. Idrees (42), the hotel owner who died in the incident, objected to and warned his neighbour against harassing his daughter sexually. Moradabad police have detained three persons while the key accused and his brother had gone absconding.
On Thursday, after coming back from school, the 15-year-old class X student complained to her father about Meraj, a 27-year-old who worked in the same locality. Meraj's family owns an electrical shop at Zahid Nagar in Karula area and he often used to harass her, allegedly.
According to reports, a week back, the girl's father brought the issue to the notice of cops posted at the local police outpost Das Sarai that falls under the jurisdiction of Katghar police station but received no help. As the audacity of the youth only kept increasing, Idrees decided to confront him on Thursday evening along with some relatives.
Idrees approached Meraj's father Israel and his brother Sonu and after a heated argument the two sides turned violent. The supporters and relatives of both families clashed with wooden sticks around 5pm in the market. Sonu and Meraj grabbed some gym equipment including a heavy iron rod and attacked Idrees on the head. By the time police arrived at the scene, three persons had sustained serious injuries, while several more got injured. The serious persons were rushed to Meerut medical college where Idrees succumbed to his injuries later in the night.
On late Friday, hundreds of people gathered at the deceased's residence and demanded strict action against Meraj and his kin as well as erring policemen. The khaki-clad had initially registered the case on behalf of both sides as non cognizable offence.
Senior superintendent of Moradabad Ashutosh Kumar said the case against accused persons had been made strong and IPC sections amounting to culpable homicide had been pressed. He said Meraj's father and deceased's brother had also sustained severe injuries.
"Meraj and Sonu are absconding while Israel is undergoing treatment. The brother duo will be nabbed soon," said Kumar. Meraj's four siblings have been named in the first information report lodged in the said case. Kumar said role of the policemen posted at Das Sarai will also be probed and action will be taken accordingly.