A 22-year-old man, injured in an alleged assault over a land dispute, died late Wednesday night, triggering a massive protest and a seven-hour road blockade in the Lotan area of Siddharthnagar district. Angry villagers chased police personnel and demanded action, leading to the suspension of the station house officer (SHO) on Friday.
Incident Details
Sandeep Yadav, a resident of Kolhua village, was injured in a clash on April 24, reportedly linked to a disputed land deal. He was undergoing treatment at a local medical college and was being referred to Lucknow when he succumbed to his injuries.
Protest and Road Blockade
Following his death, family members and villagers placed the body on the main road near Lotan police station, blocking the route connecting Maharajganj and Siddharthnagar. The protest began in the morning and swelled into a large gathering, disrupting traffic and leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Police from multiple stations and senior officers arrived to control the situation. However, tension escalated, and the crowd chased SHO Dinesh Kumar Saroj and a sub-inspector. The SHO reportedly took shelter inside the police station.
Legal Action and Resolution
After prolonged negotiations, an FIR was registered against 13 named accused and five unidentified persons under charges including culpable homicide. The protest ended after police assured swift arrests and handed over a copy of the FIR to the family. The body was then sent for postmortem examination.
SHO Suspended
Superintendent of Police, Siddharthnagar, Abhishek Mahajan, suspended the SHO for alleged negligence and appointed a new officer in-charge. Family members alleged that earlier complaints were ignored, claiming timely police action could have prevented the death.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions over land disputes in the region and the need for prompt police intervention to prevent such tragedies.
