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Bahraich violence: Five suspects arrested after ‘encounter’ with UP police

Two of the accused suffered bullet injuries; police say they were trying to flee to Nepal

Security personnel deployed to maintain law and order in a violence-affected area, in Bahraich district | PTI

Five accused in the Bahraich violence case were arrested after an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police in the border district on Thursday. According to police, two of the suspects have suffered bullet injuries.

"A total of five people have been arrested. A short exchange of fire took place in which two people were injured. The injured are Sarfaraz and Mohammad Talib. There is no death, and the injured have been taken to the hospital," Amitabh Yash, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Special Task Force, Uttar Pradesh, said.

Police said the accused were trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich district.

One person was killed while several others were injured after violence broke out between two communities at Maharajganj in the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich district on Sunday. Reports said the clashes erupted allegedly over loud music being played outside a place of worship during a Durga Puja immersion procession.

Angry mobs torched several houses, shops, showrooms, hospitals and vehicles. The deceased was identified as Ram Gopal Mishra, 22.

Earlier in the day, Bahraich Chief Medical Officer Dr Sanjay Kumar Sharma said Mishra died due to "excessive bleeding". 

"The information that we have is that the man died of excessive bleeding due to 25-30 pellet injuries. There are some injury marks above his left eye and on the toes. Some part of the nails of both feet is also missing," Sharma was quoted as saying by ANI.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday visited the family of the victim and announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh, a house under the PM Awas Yojana, and an Antyodaya card.