Uttarakhand BJP Worker Killed in Irrigation Dispute; Four Arrested
DEHRADUN: A dispute over irrigating a field in Uttarakhand’s Bairagiwala village turned deadly on Saturday evening when a 44-year-old local BJP functionary was allegedly attacked by a group of people at his home. Police said the incident took place between 6 pm and 6.30 pm after an argument broke out between the victim, Vinod Kumar, and Imtiaz, a resident of the same village. The two sides had a history of tension and had exchanged heated words over irrigation water in the days leading up to the attack, officials said.
Group Storms House with Weapons
According to police, after the quarrel, a group of more than 40 people allegedly arrived at Vinod’s house armed with lathis, wooden planks, hammers and shovels. They allegedly attacked Vinod and his family members. Vinod, along with his brothers Ashok and Rajesh, and sister-in-law Sushma, sustained serious injuries. The family was rushed to Lehman Hospital by villagers, where Vinod died during treatment after being hit on the head with a hammer, police said.
Tension in Area
News of the killing triggered tension in the area, with angry locals blocking roads and demanding strict action against those responsible. Police increased security in the village and deployed additional forces to prevent further escalation. A case was registered at Sahaspur police station based on a complaint filed by Vinod’s brother Ashok. The FIR was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 103 (murder), Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 191(2) (rioting) and Section 3(5) (joint liability). The FIR names 12 suspects and 30 to 40 unidentified people. The named accused include Razzaq, Imtiaz, Aman, Yunus, Shahbaz, Sharafat Ali, Masoom, Adil, Shamoon, Salman, Javed and Intezar.
Four Accused Arrested
Senior superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Dobal said police teams were formed immediately after the incident to trace the accused. "The teams conducted raids and arrested four of the accused, namely Razzaq, Salman, Javed and Shahbaz, all residents of Bairagiwala," Dobal said, adding that efforts are on to arrest the remaining suspects. On Sunday morning, right-wing groups staged a protest demanding action against the accused. Officials arrived at the village and authorities demolished alleged illegal structures linked to one of the accused, including a shop and a boundary wall.
Protest Turns Violent
The situation worsened when some protesters demanded that the houses of the accused be demolished. The protesters allegedly pelted stones and vandalised the property of one of the accused. Police tried to control the situation as tension remained high in the village.
MLA, CM Appeal for Peace
Vikasnagar MLA Munna Singh Chauhan reached the village and assured residents that those responsible would face action. "Those who killed him with such brutality would not be spared," he told reporters. Chauhan also appealed to locals to maintain peace and trust the police investigation. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the killing and said the "jihadi and violent mindset attempting to disrupt the peace and social harmony of Uttarakhand would not be tolerated under any circumstances." He added that those challenging the law would face severe punishment to prevent similar incidents. Provincial armed constabulary was stationed in the village on Saturday night, while additional police forces continued to remain deployed to maintain law and order.
