Bahraich violence: First named accused Danish aka Zaheer Khan arrested, was trying to flee to Nepal after brutally killing Ram Gopal Mishra

Raja aka Mohammad Danish aka Sahir/Zaheer Khan was one of the named accused in the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra.

Five days after a violent Islamist mob brutally murdered 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, police apprehended the first named accused in the case. The individual, identified as Raja aka Mohammad Danish aka Zaheer/Sahir Khan, is accused of being involved in the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra. According to reports, Zaheer Khan was trying to flee to Nepal when he was apprehended near the Raji crossing in Mahsi block of the district.

The other five accused are still absconding, said police. 

SHO Kamal Shankar stated that the police have secured custody remand of Danish, also known as Sahir, for questioning. Meanwhile, raids are being conducted at various locations to locate the main accused, Sarfaraz, along with other suspects.

Notably, the Bahraich police have registered 11 FIRs so far wherein 6 named and 1,304 unidentified people have been accused. They registered a case of unlawful assembly and murder against 10 individuals in connection with the killing of Ram Gopal Mishra. Among these, 6 individuals were named while 4 remained unidentified. Raja aka Mohammad Danish aka Sahir/Zaheer Khan was one of the named accused in the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra.

Mishra was participating in the Durga idol immersion procession that was passing through the Rehua Mansoor village in the Hardi police station area of Bahraich, when Abdul Hamid and other Muslims, mercilessly killed him.

The FIR of the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra was filed based on the complaint submitted by his brother Hari Milan, who had confirmed that around 4 pm, his brother Ram Gopal went to Maharajganj market to watch the immersion of a Durga idol.

“Here, a group of 10 people, including four identified as Abdul Hamid, Rinku alias Sarfaraz, Faheem, Raja alias Sahir Khan (all residents of Rehuwa Mansoor) caught my brother Ram Gopal, dragged him into the house, shot him, and inflicted multiple blows with a sword, which resulted in his immediate death,” said Hari Milan in his FIR to the police.

“I, along with my brothers Rajan and Kishan, identified the above-mentioned individuals, but we could not identify the four unknown persons,” he said.

Besides, the Bahraich police also arrested 55 people in connection with the violence that broke out during the Durga idol immersion procession on Sunday. They are being identified from CCTV footage.

The mobile internet and broadband remained suspended in Bharaich’s Mahsi Tehsil after the clashes as senior police and civic administration officials remained on the ground to maintain the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, the Yogi Adityanath government has taken significant action in the case and suspended Circle Officer (CO) Mahsi Rupendra Gaur. Gaur was reportedly removed from his position following his order to lathi-charge the participants in the procession, which escalated the crowd’s violence.

CO Ravi Khokhar, who was previously posted in Rampur, has been appointed as the new CO for Mahsi and has officially taken charge.

In response to the situation in Bahraich, which shares an international border with Nepal, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has heightened its vigilance along the border. A senior officer noted that the SSB has communicated with their counterparts across the border to monitor and control the “unnecessary” movement of people. This action is part of efforts to maintain security and order following recent violent incidents in the area.