Police officer Subodh Kumar Singh, killed during Bulandshahr violence, had probed Akhlaq lynching case

BULANDSHAHR: A police Inspector, who was attacked and killed by a violent mob protesting against alleged cow slaughter in the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday, had once probed the infamous Akhlaq lynching case.

News agency ANI quoted Anand Kumar, ADG Law and Order, as saying that Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh had probed the alleged lynching of the elderly Muslim man in Dadri, also over allegations of cow slaughter, between September 28, 2015 till November 9, 2015. 

However, the chargesheet in the Akhlaq lynching case was filed by a different Investigating Officer in March 2016. 

Anand Kumar, ADG Law and Order: It is clarified that Subodh Kumar Singh(who died during #Bulandshahr violence) was the Investigating officer of Akhlaq lynching case,Dadri from 28th Sept 2015 till 9th Nov 2015. Charge sheet was filled in the case by a different IO in March 2016. — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 3, 2018

Singh's post-mortem report claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police Inspector did not die due to stone pelting. The post-mortem report confirmed that his death was caused by a bullet injury suffered during the violence. 

Earlier reports had suggested that the inspector might have suffered serious injuries during stone pelting by villagers, and later succumbed to them in a hospital where he was taken.

Besides Singh, a local youth, identified as 'Sumit', was also gunned down in unexplained circumstances here during the violent clashes.

The violence erupted after a mob went berserk alleging that some cows had been slaughtered by a community. Enraged, the mob loaded the carcasses on tractor trolleys and jammed traffic on a busy road. 

A police team led by Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh rushed to the scene to pacify the protesters drawn from some right-wing groups.

He was, however, targeted and the crowd pelted stones at the police personnel, critically wounding the officer. The officer was also shot in the head and was declared dead at a community health centre. 

In the melee, the crowd set on fire many police vehicles while passersby were also attacked.

Shots were fired by unidentified assailants in which a local youth was hit and he later succumbed to his injuries. 

Heavy reinforcements - five companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and six companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) - were rushed to the spot.

Expressing grief over the incident, state's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case.

The UP CM also directed Additional Director General (Intelligence) SB Shiradkar to present a detailed report within two days.

Adityanath also declared a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the deceased police officer's wife, Rs 10 lakh for his parents and a government job for a member of his family.