Students torch bus in Allahabad over Dalit law student's murder, main accused absconding

Agitated over the murder of a Dalit student in Allahabad, a mob on Monday torched a bus and gheraoed the District Magistate’s residence demanding arrest of the main accused.

The Dalit Student Dileep Saroj (26), who was pursuing LLB from Allahabad Degree College, was mercilessly beaten by four men over a trivial issue at a restaurant in Katra Bazar under Cololnelganj police station on Friday night. The restaurant owner rushed him to the hospital where he slipped into coma and succumbed to injuries on Sunday.

The Dalit student had gone to the restaurant to have dinner with his friend when his leg accidentally touched a person sitting there. This led to a spat. The main accused, identified as Vijay Shanker Singh, and three of his friends dragged Saroj on the road and thrashed him till he fell unconscious. He, later, died in the hospital on Sunday. The entire incident was caught on the CCTV camera.

Tension prevailed in few areas of Allahabad on Monday when the college opened and Samajwadi Party Yuvjan Sabha and AISA activists hit the streets to protest Saroj’s murder. Angry students torched a bus and tried to put a few shops on the fire. Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse students.

Later, they took out a march up to the SSP office and laid siege to the DM’s residence.  They want immediate arrest of the accused and compensation to the family of the Dalit student.

The police has so far arrested restaurant waiter Munna Singh Chauhan and detained a close associate of Vijay Shanker Singh, who is on the run. “We have identified all accused with the help of the CCTV footage and eyewtiness statement. They will be arrested soon,” said IG Ramit Sharma.

The IG has appealed to the students to stay calm. “Any one taking law into hands will be dealt with heavy hand. We have also identified those who involved in arson and violence over the student’s death. Action will be initiated against them also,” warned the IG.

Issue of Dalit student murder in Allahabad rocked the UP Council on Monday. The Samajwadi Party and BSP alleged that the Yogi government has failed to provide security to Dalits and women in Uttar Pradesh. They further alleged that incidents of attack on Dalits have increased manifold after the BJP government came to the power. "Those who attacked the Dalit student beaten him to death owe allegiance to the BJP and RSS. It was due to this reason, police was not laying hands on the accused," charged Sunil Sajan, SP MLC.

The BSP supremo Mayawati has also condemned the murder of the Dalit student in Allahabad. She has sent a fact-finding team, led by party state president Ram Achal Rajbhar, to visit Allahabad and victim's home in Pratapgarh to offer condolences and financial support.