’Afraid they have been killed in encounter’: Bahraich violence accused family member says no info on father, brother

Five people were arrested from Bahraich after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday. Officials indicated that two of the accused were injured during the clash and shot in the leg while attempting to flee to Nepal. Meanwhile, a member of the accused family has since broached the possibility of their death in a “fake encounter”.

"My father and brothers have been accused of the death of a man who died in violence that broke out on Sunday. An STF team reached my in-law's house and searched it on October 14. When they did not find anything, they detained my husband and brother-in-law. Since then, there was no information about them," said Rukhsar — a family member of accused.

She also voiced fear that the duo had been “killed in a fake encounter” after learning on Wednesday that they had been arrested in Dharam Kanta... I am afraid that they have been killed in a fake encounter.

Opposition leaders have also raised the specter of ‘fake encounters’ after the incident came to light — with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accusing the state government of using encounters to mask its failures.

The police meanwhile said the group had been nabbed while attempting to cross the international border and enter Nepal. The gunfight took place in the Hada Basehari area under the Nanpara police station limits near the Nepal border. The five have been accused of fomenting communal tension during a Durga Puja procession and killing a 22-year-old man.

“When the police were taking the five arrested accused for weapons recovery near the India-Nepal border, Sarfaraz and Talib tried to escape. Shots were fired as they fled, resulting in their injuries. Abdul Hameed, Fahim, and Abdul Afzal were also arrested. A total of five accused are now in custody, and the situation is under control,” saidUttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar.

Bahraich MLA Sureshwar Singh said that both the injured accused have been brought to the hospital and are being treated.

(With inputs from agencies)