Bulandshahr firing: Soldier held in Kashmir

Srinagar/Lucknow: A soldier allegedly involved in the Bulandshahr firing in Uttar Pradesh, in which a police inspector and a civilian were killed, was detained by his unit in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, army sources said.

Jitendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji was detained by the 22 Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore town.

A special investigation team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police was expected to reach here later to take him into custody.

IG Crime S K Bhagat said five more arrests have been made in connection with Inspector Subodh Singh's death, taking the number of those arrested to nine.

The inspector and 20-year-old Sumit were killed when a mob attacked policemen after cattle carcasses were found in the fields on December 3.

Jeetu Fauji is named accused in Singh's murder, he said at a briefing when asked about his alleged involvement in the case as reported in a section of media.

The SIT team will investigate into the actual role of Fauji in the case, he said.

Bhagat said the five people, who were arrested, were identified as Chandra, Rohit, Sonu, Nitin and Jitendra. He said their names were not mentioned in the FIR lodged in connection with the inspector's murder.

They were arrested on the basis of video footage and eyewitness accounts, and police teams were conducting raids to make more arrests, the IG said.

He said a confidential report of an inquiry conducted by ADG Intelligence S B Shirodkar has been handed over to senior officials.

To a question on the inquiry by the SIT, he said it could take some time as they have to go into details of every aspect of the case.

BJP leaders sought inspector's transfer

Two days before Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed, local BJP leaders had demanded his transfer after accusing him of creating obstacles for religious functions.

In a letter sent to Bulandshahr MP Bhola Singh, they alleged that his behaviour caused resentment in the Hindu community.

The letter was forwarded by the MP to Bulandshahr SSP K B Singh demanding a probe against him.

On Friday, the SSP confirmed to PTI that he had received such a letter from Bhola Singh.

When asked what action was taken over it, he said probe orders were given.

The letter, which was surfaced on social media, was signed by BJP's Syana city chief Sanjay Shrotri, city vice president Kapil Tyagi, former corporator Manoj Tyagi, BB nagar mandal president Neeraj Chaudhary, BJP assembly convener Vijay Kumar Lodhi and Syana block pramuk Pushpendra Yadav.