Tensions are running high in the Sampurna Nagar town of Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, following the suicide of a local girl. A mob, fuelled by anger, staged a fiery protest against a local businessman’s son, who is accused of converting the girl and making a video of the act, which went viral and allegedly led to her suicide. The crowd set fire to the accused’s shop and demanded a bulldozer to demolish his house.
The protest escalated into violent unrest, with the mob ransacking fruit and vegetable shops and targeting those belonging to a specific community. The crowd also vandalized the furniture shop of the accused, throwing goods onto the streets.
The girl’s family staged a dharna, a non-violent protest, with her body on the road, which further fanned the flames of unrest. The police clashed with the unruly mob in an attempt to control the situation, resorting to a lathicharge to disperse the protesters. The crowd resisted the police control efforts, even as the Additional SP and other authorities tried to calm the situation.
In the wake of the escalating tension, additional police forces were deployed to the site of the incident. The DM and SP left their headquarters to address the situation directly, with ASP Naipal Singh stepping in to try and pacify the crowd. However, the protesters were unwilling to cooperate with the authorities.
Meanwhile, the police conducted a post-mortem on the girl’s body and registered an FIR against the accused and his brothers. The preparations for the girl’s last rites were disrupted by the unrest.
The situation in Lakhimpur Kheri district remains tense as authorities continue their efforts to restore peace and order.
