Tension in UP town after youth's murder

Ballia (UP), Aug 5: A Dalit youth was stabbed to death allegedly by some persons belonging to another community in Belthara road town, triggering protests by locals who restored to stone pelting, injuring two cops.

20-year-old Neeraj was kidnapped by three bike-borne youths last night, who stabbed him and threw his body in the bushes, Deputy Superintendent of Police K C Singh said.

Based on a complaint by the victim's father, a case has been lodged against eight persons and out of them local Samajwadi Party leader Saddam, Sheikh Ejazuddin and Kamran have been arrested, he said.

Following the incident, agitated locals pelted stones at Belthara road outpost and had a minor clash with police late last night.

The situation turned violent today when the locals pelted stones at a religious place and vandalised houses and commercial establishments belonging to another community, police said.

DySP Laxmi Ram Yadav and another policeman were injured in clash with the locals, they said. The agitators claimed that four persons were also injured in lathicharge by police.

The protestors are observing a bandh on Gorakhpur-Ballia Highway leading to disruption of vehicular movement, police said.

In the wake of tension prevailing in the town, police and PAC personnel have been deployed, Singh said.

PTI