Two days after the killing of a Dalit man in Sant Kabir Nagar, police are yet to arrest the main accused even as they continue efforts to trace the suspects and maintain peace in the communally sensitive district.
The prime accused, Nasir Ali, remains absconding following the killing of Anand Kumar, 27, on Thursday evening. Dhanghata circle officer Abhaya Nath Mishra said on Saturday that ten police teams had conducted searches at nearly 25 locations in Sant Kabir Nagar, Basti and Ambedkar Nagar districts.
Police said technical surveillance, intelligence inputs and questioning of people linked to the accused had provided some leads, and investigators were narrowing down possible hideouts.
Anand Kumar, a resident of Kolki Chamarsan village, was attacked near Babhni Crossing under the Bakhira police station area. According to police, he was on his way to buy cigarettes when he was assaulted. He sustained severe neck injuries and died on the spot.
The incident triggered protests by local residents. On Friday, angry crowds allegedly set fire to properties linked to the accused, prompting authorities to deploy additional police personnel and intensify security.
Additional superintendent of police Sushil Kumar Singh said preliminary investigation suggests the murder was an act of revenge linked to an earlier assault following allegations of eve-teasing. Police said they were investigating the sequence of events and the role of each accused.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s father, Indresh Kumar, police had registered a case against four named accused — Nasir, 19, Nirahu, 21, Jivdhara, 20, and another person.
District authorities on Friday demolished temporary shops allegedly built on land belonging to educational institutions and removed encroachments around Babhni Crossing.
Police said maintaining law and order remains a priority alongside the investigation. Additional security personnel have been deployed, regular patrolling is being carried out and meetings with community leaders are being held to prevent rumours and any retaliatory violence.
Superintendent of police Sandeep Kumar Meena is monitoring the investigation. Authorities said efforts were focused on arresting the accused and maintaining peace in the area. HTC
