The administration and police in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich have recommended that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) be invoked against eight more accused in the October 2024 communal violence in the district's Maharajganj area, in which a person was killed and several properties were set on fire. Mahasi Circle Officer (CO) Dhirendra Kumar Srivastava said the recommendation has been sent to the state government for approval after the District Magistrate endorsed to invoke the NSA against the eight accused two days ago. The eight accused — Zeeshan, Afzal, Maroof, Fahim and Nankau, Javed, Shoeb and Saif — have been lodged in jail on charges of murder and communal riots. Five other accused were booked under the Act on March 10 after the government had earlier approved the recommendation for the same by the administration and police, said CO Srivastava. Communal clashes erupted in Maharajganj on October 13 last year after some locals allegedly asked for the music to be turned off as a Durga idol procession passed through a neighbourhood. A heated argument escalated into clashes and stone-pelting between two communities, police had said. The situation worsened when gunshots were allegedly fired, and a local resident, Ram Gopal (22), sustained a bullet wound, police said. He was taken to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The violence intensified following the killing and several properties, including business establishments and houses, were set on fire. A clash also broke out between the rioters and the police force. It took more than a month for the situation to return to normal. A heavy police force was deployed during that period. Police, after the violence, had booked rioters from the other community for indulging in arson by torching business establishments and other properties. Many of these accused were sent to jail, said a police officer.
