Adityanath meets Bahraich violence victim’s kin, says culprits will not be spared at any cost

Lucknow/Bahraich (UP), Oct 15 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday termed the 22-year-old man’s death in the Bahraich communal violence “unfortunate” and said the culprits of this unforgivable incident will not be spared.

Adityanath met with the family members of Ram Gopal Mishra in Lucknow. BJP MLA from Mahsi Sureshwar Singh accompanied the family during the visit.

In a post on X in Hindi, the chief minister said, “Today in Lucknow, I met with the grief-stricken family members of the youth who died in the unfortunate incident in Bahraich district. In this hour of grief, the Uttar Pradesh government stands with the victim’s family with full sensitivity and commitment.”

“Rest assured, providing justice to the victim’s family is the top priority of @UPGovt. The culprits of this extremely reprehensible and unforgivable incident will not be spared at any cost,” he added.

Mishra was shot dead and about half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing as communal violence broke out in the Maharajganj area of Bahraich near Rehua Mansoor village in Mahsi tehsil during a Durga idol immersion procession in Bahraich on Sunday. His last rites were performed amid heavy security on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh government shared a video of the chief minister’s meeting with Ram Gopal Mishra’s wife Roli Mishra, his father Kailash Nath Mishra, mother Munni Devi and cousin Kishan Mishra.

In the video clip, Kailash Nath Mishra could be seen asking his wife to control her emotions while the chief minister was speaking to them. The couple was also seen wiping their eyes, even as their daughter-in-law sat in silence.

The government also shared a few photographs of the meeting.

Earlier in the day, MLA Singh said, “They (the family of Mishra) have already demanded justice from the chief minister. Apart from this, I do not know what they will ask for. But it is certain that they will get more than what they expect.”

Speaking to reporters in Bahraich before starting for Lucknow, Roli Mishra said, “They should be punished the same way they killed my husband.”

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Deepak Kumar told PTI that the situation in Bahraich was under control. Internet services have been suspended in the district as a precautionary measure.