Barabanki: A land dispute in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district turned violent on August 16, leaving a 68-year-old man dead and several others injured after a tractor was allegedly driven over a group of villagers.
The incident took place in Pure Guman Majre of Kolwa village, within the jurisdiction of the Subeha police station in Haidergarh.
The deceased, Shamsher Ali, was allegedly among those targeted during the clash. His son, Mushtaq Ali, told the police that the confrontation began when a group of men from the Thakur community arrived at the disputed property and tried to open a doorway in front of the house of his brother, Usman Ali, using a tractor.
According to the complaint, the family objected to the move, following which Roshan alias Shiv Singh, Gulshan Singh and others allegedly began abusing and assaulting them.
The situation reportedly worsened when relatives and other villagers reached the spot. The complainant alleged that the group attacked them with lathis and sticks before using the tractor to run over several people.
Shamsher Ali, Rasheed, Sajidul and Badruddin were allegedly struck by the vehicle. Shamsher sustained critical injuries and later died, while the others were shifted to the Community Health Centre in Haidergarh.
Mushtaq’s complaint names Roshan alias Shiv Singh, Gulshan Singh, Shyamjeet Singh, Suraj Singh, Prithviraj Singh, Vikramjeet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Mohit Singh and Kallu Singh as accused. The FIR also refers to unidentified persons who allegedly took part in the attack.
Police registered the case at Subeha police station on August 16 under Sections 103(1), 109(1), 115(2), 191(2) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Barabanki Police said five people had been arrested in connection with the case and that further investigation was in progress. However, the victim’s family alleged that several of those involved were yet to be apprehended.
Mushtaq said the dispute over the land had continued for years and that a local court had recently recognised his family’s ownership.
“We had started sowing seeds on the land when they arrived and destroyed the work with a tractor. When we protested, they attacked us, including the women in our family,” he said.
He claimed that nearly 10 people were hit by the tractor and that many of the injured remained under treatment. Some, he said, had suffered fractures, while others required stitches.
“They ran the tractor over my father and others when they came to defend us. My father was taken to hospital but was declared dead,” Mushtaq said.
He alleged that all the named accused belonged to the Thakur community, adding that some were known to the family while others had concealed their faces.
The family has demanded the arrest of all the accused and strict action against those responsible for the death and injuries.
Sunil Kumar, the Barabanki district president of the Azad Samaj Party, visited the family and raised questions over the pace of the investigation. He said the victims’ side was concerned that only five arrests had been made despite allegations involving several people.
Kumar alleged that the tractor was also used in an attempt to enter Shamsher Ali’s house, describing the incident as an example of the accused allegedly trying to enforce their own version of justice.
Azad Samaj Party leader and MP Chandra Shekhar Azad also linked the violence to the land dispute. In a statement posted on X, he said the court ruling had gone in favour of the victims, after which they began cultivating the land.
Azad alleged that the opposing group arrived to plough the property and attacked the victims when they resisted. He said women were among those allegedly struck by the tractor and claimed that Dalit villagers who tried to intervene were also beaten.
The Subeha police station did not respond to requests for comment.