By IANS,
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Saturday ordered a probe in the violence in Ghaziabad’s Masuri area where six people were killed in police firing, to ascertain the role of local district and police officials and fix responsibility.
The probe will be carried out by the divisional commissioner of Meerut, a home department official here told IANS.
“The government has taken a serious view of the whole flare-up and the guilty would face stringent action,” said Principal Secretary, Home, R.M. Srivastava.
Close aides of the chief minister said he was particularly miffed with the incident as it came on the eve of his completing six months in office.
Akhilesh Yadav earlier in the day told reporters that he felt that had action been taken on time after local residents complained about desecration of a holy book, the flare-up could have been avoided.
“I am told police was informed of the issue at around 1 p.m. and they did not act till 7 p.m.,” he said at a press conference.
Six people were killed as police opened fire to break up a rampaging mob denouncing the desecration of the holy book in the district adjoining Delhi, police and witnesses said Saturday.
The dead were identified by authorities as Asif, Waheed, Lukman, Amir, Wasim and Hayat. Two of them belonged to Meerut.
Three policemen were also critically injured in the violence. One of them almost had his head severed with a sharp-edged weapon.
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced compensation of Rs.500,000 each to the families of the dead, Rs.50,000 for those injured and Rs.20,000 for those with minor injuries.