BJP leaders allege fake police encounter in Muzaffarnagar, probe ordered

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Aug 27 (PTI) Local BJP leaders on Wednesday held a protest meeting in Budhana town alleging that police had shot a cousin of a party leader in a fake encounter after he was booked in a motorcycle theft case, prompting the police to order an inquiry.

Robin, a cousin of BJP regional president Monu Thakur, was arrested during an operation on Tuesday in which he sustained bullet injuries. Police claimed to have recovered a stolen motorcycle and a country-made pistol from his possession.

The protest meeting here was attended by several BJP functionaries, including Thakur, District Cooperative Bank chairman Ramnath Singh, former BJP MLA Umesh Malik and district BJP Kisan Morcha chief Raju Ahlawat.

The BJP leaders alleged that it was a "fake" encounter and called for stringent action against those responsible.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar said a special inquiry team has been constituted under the supervision of ASP City Satyanarain Prajapat, with two circle officers, to complete the investigation within three days in the matter.

The probe would ascertain the circumstances of the encounter, ASP (Rural) Aditya Bansal told reporters.

The police had registered a case under sections 115 (voluntary causing hurt) and 309 (robbery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following a complaint of motorcycle theft near Kurthal village under Budhana police station limits on Tuesday. PTI CORR ABN APL ABN RT RT