Police have arrested seven students in connection with the death of a college student in Ballia. Hemant Yadav, a second-year student, was allegedly beaten up by a group of students outside an examination center on April 4, leading to his death. Another student, Alok Yadav, was also seriously injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment in a hospital.
The police said that the attack was a result of an old dispute between two groups. The arrested students, aged between 19 and 24 years, were found to have cricket bats that were used in the attack. The police have booked them for murder and attempt to murder.
The Superintendent of Police, Raj Karan Nayyar, suspended the in-charge of the Japlinganj police outpost, Sub-Inspector Rakesh Varun, for negligence. The outpost is located near the college where the incident took place.
According to the police, the dispute that led to the attack began last November when Hemant allegedly assaulted a youth during a cricket match. A case was lodged against Hemant and he was arrested.
The police said that the accused attacked Hemant to seek revenge. One of them hit him on the head with a bat, causing serious injuries that led to his death. When Hemant came out of the college after the examination, a group of students attacked him with sticks and cricket bats. Alok came to his rescue but was also attacked.
Based on a complaint filed by Hemant’s younger brother, Sachin Yadav, the police registered an FIR against nine named and several unidentified persons at the Ballia Kotwali.
Hemant’s father, Manraj Yadav, who serves in the Indian Army in Nasik, came to Ballia after receiving information about his son’s death. The police are conducting raids to trace the other accused in the case.