Allahabad HC grants bail to accused in Karhana Massacre

Basti, Dec 24 (UNI) The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to 17 police personnel accused in the infamous two-decades-old Karhana massacre case.

Till now, the accused cops were lodged in jail.

DIG, Basti range, Brahaspatimani Tripathi said here today following the bail, the orders have been sent to the concerned Superintendent of Police for their release.

On July 20, 1986, 11 people were gunned down by policemen at Karhana village in Mehndawal area, which the cops had later termed as an encounter with the dacoits.

Later an FIR was lodged against 25 policemen, including then station officer Prem Kumar Rai, Mehndawal station officer Ram Krishna Yadav, Sub inspectors Nand Kishor Rai, Yogendra Singh and Ram Narayan Yadav, 'Deewan' Heera Yadav, constables Ram Subhag Yadav, Omkar Nath Tiwari, Sriram Yadav, Mahant Singh, Laxmi Narayan Yadav, Jeet Bahadur Singh, Ram Achal Ojha, Gama Yadav, Avadhesh Kumar Singh, Ram Suresh Singh, Vindhyachal Singh and eight others.

On November 23, last year, Fast Track Court (III) Judge Devi Shankar Srivastava had slapped life terms to 17 accused and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 each.

While five accused died natural deaths during the trial, the court had acquitted three others for lack of evidence.

UNI XC-ATI SI RAI2109