Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow (SHP)
Lucknow, Dec 25: Following the aftermath of CAA protest which claimed lives of 16 people in Uttar Pradesh, the Rampur district administration has already begun the process of recovering for the destruction caused by the protesters. As the violence progressed earlier in the past week, chief minister Yogi Adityanath warned the perpetrators that 'revenge will be taken'.
Over 28 people have been served notices for the recovery of damages, including an embroidery worker and a hawker of spices who are already in custody. The accused are now being questioned by the administration on why they should not be held liable for the damage of government properties.
The first notices that go out in UP to 28 residents stated: Pay Rs 14 lac for damage to property, Notice lists cost of police barricades, sticks, vehicles. Embroidery worker Zameer’s mother Munni Begum claimed they did not even have money to hire a lawyer for Zameer who is in custody. “I have not received any recovery notice from the district administration so far. We do not even have money to arrange a lawyer for Zameer. How can we pay any compensation?” she said.
Begum alleged that police had barged into her home in Nai Basti on Sunday afternoon and took Zameer with them. “They did not say why they were taking away Zameer. The next day, we came to know police had booked Zameer for the Saturday violence and sent him to jail. My son, who has studied only till Class IV, is innocent. On the day of the violence, he was at home,” she added.
Zameer’s neighbour Mehmood, who sold spices on a cart for a living, was also arrested by police on Sunday in connection with the same incident. Mehmood’s brother-in-law Faheem, a daily-wage labour hand, said Mehmood too was home on Saturday. “There was no need for him to participate in the violence. He lives in rented accommodation and earns a meagre amount. How can he pay such a huge compensation sum?”
Near Bilaspur Gate in Rampur, Seema, wife of labour hand Pappu, said her husband had been wrongly arrested in a case of arson. She too said her husband was home on Saturday and that the police came the next day. “No one was ready to listen,” she said.
Zameer, Mehmood and Pappu have since been sent to Rampur jail. Police said Zameer and Mehmood were arrested for their alleged involvement in Saturday’s violence at Hathi Khan which left one person dead and five injured.
Rampur District Magistrate Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said, “We issued notices to 28 persons whose role were found by police during the investigation. Police submitted pieces of evidence against them. They (28) have been asked to submit their response within a week, otherwise, the process of recovery against them will be started. Of the 28, a few have been arrested while raids are on to trace others. The accused and their family can submit evidence to support their plea that they have been wrongly booked in the case.”
The district administration said the notices were issued following a state government order based on a direction from the Allahabad High Court. The notices were issued based on information provided by local police. Police have video clips and photographs, including from media houses and residents. Police have also collected footage of CCTVs near the incident site.
In the notice, loss of property worth Rs 14,86,500 has been cited. The violence led to damages to a police jeep of Bhot police station (Rs 750,000), motorcycle of a sub-inspector (Rs 65,000), motorcycle of City Kotwali police station (Rs 90,000), wireless set, hooter/loudspeaker, 10 dandas, three helmets, three body protectors among others.