Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested four Kanwariyas in connection with the death of a Muslim pickup-truck driver who was allegedly assaulted after a road accident in Hapur district. Police have also added a murder charge to the case.
The Garhmukhteshwar police arrested Lokesh Singh, Ankit Kumar, Manish Kumar and Shivam—residents of Bajheda Khurd village in Hapur’s Pilkhuwa area—on August 13.
The four were initially booked under charges related to rioting with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and voluntarily causing grievous injuries. Following the death of 27-year-old Azeem Ali, police added Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with murder.
The incident took place on July 31, when Azeem’s pickup truck allegedly collided with an autorickshaw carrying Kanwariyas in Hapur. The vehicle also hit the autorickshaw driver, Farmaan, who was standing nearby.
According to Azeem’s family, the Kanwariyas dragged him out of the pickup and assaulted him after the collision. Police took him to a local hospital before he was shifted to Meerut and later to Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi. Azeem died of his injuries on August 4.
His brother, Maqbool, said Azeem was in a critical condition when the family reached him. “He was lying like a lifeless body,” he said.
Azeem’s family named the four Kanwariyas and Farmaan in the FIR registered after his death. Farmaan’s father, Imran, later filed a counter-complaint under BNS Section 109(1), alleging attempted murder.
Farmaan’s family denied that he had assaulted Azeem. They claimed that Azeem’s pickup first hit Farmaan and then ran over him, leaving him seriously injured.
The police said Farmaan’s role would be assessed after examining his medical records. Hapur Superintendent of Police Kunwar Gyananjay Singh said authorities were obtaining his medical summary and would exclude him from the case if no evidence was found against him.
The four Kanwariyas were arrested near the Athseni underpass. Further investigation is underway.