Uttar Pradesh martyrs statues demolition in Shahjahanpur prompts FIR and reinstallation order

An FIR has been filed against a company after statues of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Roshan Singh were allegedly demolished with a bulldozer during road widening in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered strict action and directed that the martyrs’ statues be reinstalled with due respect.

An FIR has been filed in Shahjahanpur after statues of Kakori train action martyrs were demolished with a bulldozer during alleged road beautification work. The damaged statues were of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh. The incident triggered protests and political reactions, with demands for action against those held responsible for the damage.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed strong displeasure over the demolition during a road widening project. The state government said Adityanath ordered strict action against the culprits. Adityanath also directed that the statues be reinstalled with due respect. The statement added that any insult to martyrs is absolutely unacceptable.

Shahjahanpur statues demolition FIR and police action

Shahjahanpur Police lodged an FIR on Tuesday evening against the company under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police included sections 196(2) on promoting enmity affecting harmony at religious places. Police also added section 352 on intentional insult. Superintendent of Police SP Rajesh Dwivedi said the complaint came from the municipal corporation’s chief engineer.

Dwivedi said beautification work was underway at the Shaheed memorial site at Town Hall. He said the statues were meant to be shifted to a newly built pedestal. Dwivedi said the work was executed by a firm named Infratech. He said the firm had work behind the statues, yet removed them Sunday night.

Municipal sources earlier said a contractor engaged for road construction and beautification carried out the demolition. The statues’ remains were reportedly dumped at a waste disposal site. A video later circulated on social media, and it allegedly showed the remains at a garbage location. The plaques at the memorial site were also removed using a bulldozer.

Yogi Adityanath statues demolition order and contract steps

The state government said an FIR was registered immediately after Adityanath’s orders. Adityanath said officials supervising the work must be suspended with immediate effect. The statement said the company was blacklisted with immediate effect. It also said the work contract was revoked. The government said the statues would be reinstalled respectfully.

Opposition reaction on Shahjahanpur statues demolition

The Samajwadi Party accused authorities of insulting martyrs after the demolition. Samajwadi Party district president Tanveer Khan alleged the statues were broken to remove a plaque bearing his name. Tanveer Khan said the plaque was installed during Tanveer Khan’s tenure as municipal chairman. Tanveer Khan called the act an insult and accused officials of arbitrary action.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reacted after sharing a news report on X. Yadav said that beautification can never take precedence over respect for martyrs. Yadav condemned the demolition and described it as reflecting a disturbing mindset. Protests were also held by the local Congress unit and a Hindu outfit on Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai demanded strict action against those responsible. "If justice is not served, every single Congress worker will take to the streets and fiercely oppose this dictatorship,\" Rai said in a post on X. Rai also blamed the municipal corporation run by the BJP government for using bulldozers.

\"This is a direct assault on every brave hero who laid down their life for the countrys freedom and on the sentiments of 145 crore Indians. The Yogi government must immediately take strict action against the responsible officials,\" Rai said. Rai named Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, and Thakur Roshan Singh in the post. Rai said the demolition hurt public sentiment across India.

Ashfaqulla Khan descendant protest and local demonstrations

A descendant of Ashfaqulla Khan called the act condemnable and said there would be a protest. Local Congress office bearers protested with hundreds of workers at the Collectorate. District Congress Committee president Rajneesh Gupta said the party wanted the remains of Ashfaqullah Khans statue. Rajneesh Gupta said the remains should be buried with due respect.

Rajneesh Gupta said the remains of martyrs Roshan Singh and Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil should be immersed in the Ganga with proper honours. Separately, Rajesh Awasthi led a local Hindu outfit protest at a city intersection. The group burnt effigies of municipal officials. Rajesh Awasthi warned of a larger agitation if action was not taken by evening.

A group of journalists also submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate. The memorandum condemned the demolition and sought accountability. The incident centred on the Shaheed memorial site outside the municipal corporation office. The statues were regularly garlanded by visiting public representatives. Officials and parties continued to demand action and respectful restoration.

Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh were hanged by the British on December 19, 1927. The case related to the August 1925 Kakori train incident near Lucknow. The train was carrying government funds when it was looted. The latest FIR and administrative steps followed public anger over the damaged memorial.

With inputs from PTI