Days After Sonbhadra Killing, Villagers Accuse Police of Laxity

The people accused the police of a callous and delayed response to the situation.

The aggrieved people have accused the police over their callous and delayed response in dealing with the situation.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Varun Sharma, Sandeep Suman

In Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, 10 tribals died and more than two dozen people were injured in an attack over a land dispute that took place on Wednesday, 17 July.

The Quint's team reached Umbha village where the massacre took place to unearth the reasons behind the incident.

On Wednesday, when sarpanch Yagya Dutt reached the spot with his henchmen in around 32 tractors, local villagers tried to stop them from taking over the land, the police said. Those accompanying him then showered a hail of bullets on villagers, all tribals, killing 10 of them.

Watchman Ramlal said that he had warned the villagers that if this conflict is not resolved, such an incident may happen.

Recalling the incident, Sukuvaari, wife of one the deceased, said, "The poor tribals protested but shortly after, the men started firing incessantly. They fired with guns, and hit us with lathis."

Accusations Against the Police

The aggrieved people have accused the police of a callous and delayed response to the situation.

One of the villagers said that the police arrived after the people were killed and the fight was over. 

Priyanka, Yogi Visit Victims

The police on Thursday arrested Dutt, the main accused. An FIR has been lodged against 61 people including 11 named.

On 20 July, Priyanka Gandhi met the families of the victims in a guesthouse in Mirzapur after she was detained on her way to Sonbhadra on Friday.

The next day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also met the injured and blamed the Congress and Samajwadi Party for the dispute.