Police and villagers injured in a clash in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow:
Four policemen, including a senior officer and several villagers, were injured in a clash for alleged torture in custody in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, 350 km from the state capital Lucknow. The images show several wounded police officers and others receiving treatment at a hospital.
Panna Rajbhar, in her 20s, was called to a Rasra police post in Ballia district on Wednesday to be questioned about a dispute with her extended family, some villagers said.
A written complaint from Mr. Rajbhar’s family alleged that he was beaten so brutally inside the police post that he had to be rushed to a government hospital. The complaint named a deputy inspector and a chief of police.
Soon, a large number of villagers gathered on a road and began to protest. They refused to disperse, started throwing stones at the police, allegedly set fire to a police post and destroyed some motorcycles.
In response, the police charged lathi against hundreds of villagers who had been protesting on the road.
Images taken by locals showed hundreds of men and women charging at the police. Some showed the police beating villagers with lathis.
Images from a local hospital showed police officers with head injuries being treated by doctors. An injured woman is also seen being carried away by two others.
“A woman had given her brother-in-law, Rajbhar, a room to live in their house. She had written to the police asking for help in persuading her brother-in-law to leave. The manager of the police post had brought Rajbhar there. Rajbhar alleges that the police tortured him. The police station in charge and the police chief will be questioned … The additional superintendent of police was also injured in the violence, “police officer Devendra Nath told reporters.
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