Bahraich Clashes: One Sentenced To Death, Nine Others Receive Life Term In 2024 Murder Case | India News

A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich on Thursday sentenced one man to death and awarded life imprisonment to nine others for the murder of a youth during communal violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj last year.

The court awarded the death penalty to Sarfaraz alias Rinku, while Faheem, Saif Ali, Javed Khan, Abdul Hameed, Talib alias Sablu, Isan, Suheb Khan, Nankau and Maruf were sentenced to life imprisonment. Three accused, Shakeel Ahmed, Bablu Afzal alias Kallu, and Khurshid, were acquitted.

The unrest broke out on October 13, 2024, during a Durga idol immersion procession, when 21-year-old Ramgopal Mishra was shot dead as clashes erupted in the mixed-population locality. The incident triggered tension across Mahsi, Maharajganj and parts of Bahraich, leading to arson, vandalism and heavy police deployment the following day.

Thirteen people were named in the FIR. Two of them were later killed in a police encounter while trying to flee, while the rest were arrested. A chargesheet was filed on January 11, 2025, and charges were framed on February 18.

All the accused had been booked under the National Security Act during the investigation. NSA action was taken against five of them in March and eight others in September. Saif and Shoeb, who were out on bail, were taken into custody again after their conviction on December 9.

After the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the victim’s family in Lucknow, assured them of justice and provided financial aid along with a government job for Mishra’s widow.