Greater Noida: Constable, friend beaten to death

A police constable and his friend were beaten to death with sticks and iron rods by seven men in Dujana village in Greater Noida on Tuesday evening, after an altercation broke out over the placement of an electric pole. Police said four of the accused have been arrested while the other three are absconding.

Police said the deceased have been identification as Praveen Kumar (30), a police constable, and Arun Urvmoni (22). Praveen is survived by his wife and six-month-old daughter while Arun is survived by his parents.

According to police, the fight started over the placement of an electric pole that was meant to provide electricity to Kumar’s home. The pole was to be placed in front of the house where the accused reside, leading to the alteration. “They didn’t want the pole to be placed in front of their house. It was a minor issue and there was no need for the kind of violence that followed,” DSP Rakesh Kumar said.

DSP Kumar said the argument took a violent turn after the accused — identified as Vijay, Sooraj, Sudhir, Sunil, Shimla, Kanchan and Sonam — began forcibly removing the pole.

“The two groups began hurling abuses at each other. But later, the accused dragged the two men into their home and beat them to death with rods and sticks,” Kumar said. Police have arrested Vijay, Sooraj, Shimla, Kanchan, while the other three are still on the run.

Praveen’s mother, Suresh was an eyewitness to the entire incident and later filed the FIR in the case. She said she tried to save her son but was pushed out of the house.

“I tried saving them, but there was nothing I could do. I went into the village and screamed that they were killing my son,” she said.

Two villagers, Suresh and Gurji, rushed to the home of the accused and broke up the fight. By then, police also reached the spot. Police said Praveen and Arun were rushed to a nearby private hospital, but they died on the way. Police said both suffered multiple head injuries and broken bones. An FIR has been registered against the accused under Section 302 (murder) at Badalpur police station.

(Shubhangi Misra is an intern at The Indian Express)