One person was killed and six others were injured in a bomb attack and firing between two groups in the high security district court premises in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. The incident has raised several questions over the security arrangements in the Faizabad court premises where a terror attack took place on November 23, 2007.
Metal detectors were installed at the entrance of the court in the wake of the 2007 terror attack, yet the culprits managed to sneak into the court premises armed with bombs and guns.
In addition to the metal detectors, one and a half sections of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), two sub-inspectors, constables and 15 Home Guard personnel are permanently deployed for security purposes in the Faizabad District Court.
State Home Secretary Kamal Saksena said the ADG ( Law and Order), Mukul Goel, Faizabad Commissioner, District Magistrate and the SSP were on the spot and a detailed report is awaited before any action is taken.
Wednesday’s incident is the fallout of old enmity between former block pramukh of Dhanpatganj in Sultanpur district, Yashbhadra Singh alias Monu Singh and the followers of Sant Gyaneshwar, who was killed in 2006. Sant Gyaneshwar’s killing was in retaliation against the murder of Yashbhadra Singh’s father, Indrabhadra Singh. Sant Gyaneshwar was alleged to have been involved in his killing, the police said.
IG(Law and Order) Amrendra Kumar Sengar told reporters that bombs were hurled by some unidentified persons at Yashbhadra Singh in the District Court premises after he emerged from a trial in a case registered in October 2010 in connection with the murder of one Ram Kumar Yadav in Bikapur ( Faizabad).
A person accompanying Singh opened fire at one of the persons who had launched the bomb attack killing him in the process, Mr. Sengar said.
The IG said six persons, including Yashbhadra Singh, were injured in the bomb attack.
Mr. Sengar said the police arrested one Jainendra Sharma, a resident of Agra. Three live crude bombs were seized from him.
The deceased has been identified as Saahil, resident of Nepal. The IG ( Law and Order) said Jainendra Sharma and Saahil, who are disciples of Sant Gyaneshwar, had come to avenge the Sant’s killing.
An FIR was lodged by Yashbhadra Singh at the Kotwali police station in which Kamla Devi, a former Minister, Vinod Kumar Singh and Jainendra Sharma have been named as accused, Mr. Sengar said. Seven to eight unidentified persons have also been included in the FIR. Mr. Singh was the Tourism Minister in the BSP regime.
History-sheeterA history-sheeter of Kurhebhar police station (HS number 60A) in Sultanpur district, Yashbhadra Singh is the brother of former Samajwadi Party MLA from Isauli, Chandrabhadra Singh alias Sonu Singh, who is currently out on bail. Both the brothers were allegedly involved in Sant Gyaneshwar’s killing.