17-year-old boy killed over relationship with girl Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi, accused held after encounter with police, 4 minors detained

Angered by the murder, protesters held a demonstration in the area, pelted stones at the accused’s residence and damaged vehicles belonging to them and their neighbours.

The situation was brought under control by senior police officers who rushed to the spot and assured the people that the accused will be arrested.

“We have caught four minors and a young man in the case. Among the four minors, three of them were named in the FIR,” said a police officer. He added that the minors and the man would be produced before the court on Saturday. The police are also collecting documents to verify the age of minors.

According to the police, on Thursday afternoon, they received information that a minor boy had been shot and sent to the hospital for treatment. The police rushed to the spot and then to the hospital, where the victim died during treatment.

A case was lodged against three minor boys based on a complaint from the victim’s family. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to light that two days earlier, the victim and the prime suspect had clashed over a girl. The matter was resolved following the intervention of family members. The victim had claimed to be in a relationship with the girl, while the prime accused too made similar claims.

On Friday, the situation became tense after news spread rapidly that children of another religion were involved in the murder. Following a message conveyed through social media, a large number of people assembled to jointly pay tribute to the victim. The crowd then took out a procession in the area.

The procession first went to the police station and then reached the accused’s house, where protestors pelted stones. They demanded gunning down of the accused and the demolition of their houses.

A police officer said an FIR has been lodged against 10 named persons and several unidentified persons on various charges, including rioting and voluntarily causing harm to deter a public worker from performing his or her duty. No one has been arrested in the rioting case, said a police officer.