Kasganj SP transferred, sporadic arson continues

AGRA: In a first action against the Kasganj district administration following the arson post Republic Day clash, the state government transferred superintendent of police Sunil Kumar Singh on Monday.
Singh, who had his first posting as SP in the Kasganj district, has been asked to join police training school (PTS) Meerut as SP, while the incumbent Piyush Srivastava SP-PTS has been made the head of Kasganj police.

Speaking to TOI minutes before the transfer order, Sunil Kumar said, “The arson on Saturday and Sunday was a deliberate attempt by miscreants to keep the district on the boil. These miscreants were backed by some local politicians, who had grudges against police and local administration, who in the past had come down heavily on their illegal activities of sand-mining.”
“The clash on Republic Day morning was unfortunate and should never have happened, but what happened later was a deliberate attempt to hamper peace and tranquility in the district,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Sunday night, two houses in Manuta Colony and PLGC Colony of Nadraigate area, along with a small grocery store on Station Road, were set on fire by miscreants - though the fire was promptly doused and no injury was reported.

Responding on the late night arson, Sunil Kumar Singh said, “The unruly men engaged in arson have been targeting those areas which are on outskirts of Kasganj city and their intention is to remain in headlines, so that they can pressure the administration to release the accused arrested in criminal activities.”
On Monday, district magistrate R P Singh, along with SP Sunil Kumar Singh, visited the family of Chandan Gupta alias Abhishek who lost his life in the recent violence. The senior officers gave a Rs 20 lakh-compensation cheque to Chandan’s father Sushil Gupta.
Later, men of right wing group visited Chandan’s home and demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the family, a house and government job for a family member.
UP Vishva Hindu Parishad vice president Sunil Parashar said, “Like Mohammad Akhlaq, the state government should also compensate Chandan’s family and pay Rs 50 lakh, one house and a government job for a relative.”
Meanwhile, the Rapid Action Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary were still deployed in Kasganj city to avoid further clashes.