UP: Gangster hired to kill key witness in September 26 Bareilly clash arrested from Pilibhit

Bareilly (UP), Jan 4 (PTI) Police have arrested a gangster from Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit, who was allegedly hired to kill a key witness in the September 26 Bareilly clash last year.

The accused, identified as Furqan, was caught within 24 hours of a tip-off, and a pistol, two live cartridges, and Rs 20,000 in cash were recovered from him, the police said.

SP Traffic Mohammad Akmal Khan and Circle Officer Pankaj Srivastava held a press briefing on Sunday evening at the police lines auditorium to share the details.

According to the police, the witness, Mohammad Firdous Khan, also known as Ajum, a resident of Old City Chak Mahmood, had helped the police and administration identify rioters during the September clash.

Following this, some individuals developed a grudge against him. On December 18, he was threatened in Chhmagadad Wale Bagh and told to pay Rs 10 lakh, failing which his life would be at risk. Later, Firdous came to know that contract killer Furqan was hired to kill him for Rs 5 lakh. He also began receiving calls from unknown numbers, causing panic to him and his family, who then approached the police, they added.

The police apprehended Furqan late Saturday night from the Naktia area. "He had been staying in a rented room near Maria Frozen Meat Factory in the Cantt area and running a tea stall while conducting reconnaissance on the witness. A search conducted in the presence of his wife led to the recovery of a pistol, two live rounds, and cash," said the SP.

"During questioning, Furqan admitted that he had been assigned the task by individuals he knew in jail and that the plot was orchestrated at their behest," the officer added.

The police said Furqan has a long criminal record, including cases of loot, attempted murder, and violations of the Gangster and Arms Acts registered in multiple police stations of Pilibhit and Bareilly.

The arrest comes amid ongoing investigations into the September 26 Bareilly clash, in which mobs allegedly opened fire, pelted stones, and indulged in looting at multiple locations in the city. The police have so far filed charge sheets in seven of the ten cases registered in connection with the clash.

Maulana Tauqeer Raza, president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), has been named in all the cases, and several of his close aides, including Nafees Khan, Nadeem Khan, and Munir Idrisi, have also been charged for allegedly mobilising the crowd and inciting attacks on police personnel. Charges in the remaining three cases are still under investigation.

An announcement postponing a proposed demonstration in support of the "I Love Muhammad" campaign by cleric IMC president Raza led to a clash between a large crowd and police outside a Bareilly mosque on September 26.

Police said a large crowd carrying "I Love Muhammad" posters gathered outside the cleric's residence and near the mosque, both in the Kotwali area and located a short distance from each other, after the Friday prayers, with people expressing anger over the suspension of the demonstration. PTI COR CDN ARB MNK MNK