In new video, Bulandshahr violence accused points fingers at slain UP cop Subodh Kumar Singh

LUCKNOW: A day after Bulandshahr violence main accused Yogesh Raj claimed innocence on camera, a new video featuring another accused surfaced on Thursday. BJP leader Shikhar Agarwal, wanted by police for the mob violence that killed two, alleged that slain police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh is to be blamed for the incident. 

Agarwal, who has been named in the FIR by police, is Bharatiya Janata Party's Syana unit youth wing president. He's heard saying that it is the inspector “who created tension by stopping him and others from taking some carcasses to the Chingrawathi police post for filing an FIR over the alleged cow slaughter,” as reported by PTI. 

Agarwal goes on to claim that Singh threatened to kill him and his aides, which he later reported to Additional Director General of Police Avinash Chandra Maurya. The BJP leader also accused Singh of being "corrupt" and "siding with the Muslim community" to perpetuate cow slaughter. 

In Wednesday, Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj – the main suspect in the Bulandshahr mob violence incident – claimed innocence. He alleges hearing about a "cow slaughter" at Mahaw village and reaching there with supporters. He went on to claim that they were still at the police station when reports of villagers pelting stones came in. 

"...We later went to the Siana police station to register our case. This is where we heard that the villagers were pelting stones and that there was firing in which a youth and a policeman received gunshot wounds...I was not present at the time of this second incident," says Raj. 

“I have nothing to do with it. I have full faith in God. I will be cleared of all accusations," he added. 

A mob of around 400 people, including right-wing activists, clashed with the police on December 3 in Siana area of Bulandshahr district, after allegedly discovering cow carcasses thrown in a nearby jungle. The angry mob set fire to dozens of vehicles, stone pelted and fired at police who then retaliated with gunfire. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, the station house officer of Siana who once investigated Akhlaq lynching case, and 20-year-old Sumit Kumar were killed in the incident. 

Following the massive political and public outrage over the incident, the police arrested four people a day later. However, the main suspect – Bajrang Dal Bulandshahr convenor Yogesh Raj – is still absconding. Nearly 90 people have been named in an FIR filed in the case.