Kanpur: 13 with bullet injuries set to be named as accused in riot FIR

Read | Rioting FIR has details, timeline, gives clean chit to police; FIR on killing is just one para

When contacted, Kanpur SSP Anant Deo said that circumstantial evidence confirmed that those injured were present at the spot. “This can be taken as sufficient evidence to name them in the FIR. However, further investigation will confirm their role, and action will be taken against them accordingly,” he said.

Deo said the police have registered 18 FIRs in connection with the December 20 violence. “The names of these people will be added in the FIR and they might be arrested once they recover fully. Their involvement will be investigated in detail based on video evidence. So far, around 14 persons have been arrested in the district. Around 40 have been identified and photos of more than 150 persons have been released,” he said.

Read | Protest damage notices: Uttar Pradesh goes where no state has gone before

Of the 13, the three who died were Raees Khan (30), Aftab Alam (22), and Mohammad Saif (23).

According to information available with the hospital and claimed by the families, three of the remaining 10 were minors: Mohammad Aavesh (15), Mohammad Shadab (16), and Mohammad Faiz (17). The other seven are Kasim (20), Mohammad Faizan (22), Shaan Mohammad (20), Mohammad Kaamil (25), Ali Mohammad (32), Mohammad Akeel (35) and Mohammad Zameel (50).

While six have been discharged, Kasim, Faizan, Shadab and Aavesh remain admitted at the Hallet Hospital. Most of the deceased and the injured are youth from Babupurwa police station area.

Editorial: UP government’s decision to demand compensation from protesters, arbitrarily targeting one community, is a new low. 

“Faizan is in his final year B.Sc (Biology). To help us financially, he used to take tuitions. On the day of the incident, he was on his way for the tuition class, when he saw a mob. He got confused and did not know where to hide. He told me he was away from the crowd, but a policeman in a brown jacket still fired at him. The bullet hit the right side of his chest… The doctors have confirmed he is out of danger,” said Rashid, father of Faizan.

Also Read | Meerut SP tells protesters go to Pak if you don’t want to live here; his defence: they raised pro-Pak slogans

SSP Anant Deo said all the 13 had firearm injuries and were taken to the Hallet Hospital for treatment.

The eldest of the three who died, Raees, used to sell papad and do other odd jobs to take care of his elderly parents. His other siblings, including two brothers live separately. “I don’t even know how he was caught in the firing, but all I know is that there is no one to take care of me and my wife anymore. My other two sons live separately and don’t even come to meet me… Now we are dependent on Allah,” said Raees’ father 74-year-old Mohammad Shareef.