5th arrest made in Rabupura Dalit youth’s murder case

On October 19, police had arrested and jailed two accused. Days later, on October 26, two more people were arrested. All four, in their 20s, were residents of Rabupura

GREATER NOIDA: Police have arrested one more person over the assault of a 17-year-old Dalit boy and his uncle on October 15 allegedly by a group of men in Rabupura, Greater Noida, officers said on Monday, adding that the latest arrest raises the total number of people apprehended in the case to five.

On October 15, the teenager and his uncle were allegedly beaten with sticks by a group of 10-12 men during a birthday celebration. (Representational image)

On October 15, the teenager and his uncle were allegedly beaten with sticks by a group of 10-12 men during a birthday celebration. The victims were finally rescued through the intervention of family members present at the occasion, police said. The 17-year-old later died during treatment.

On October 19, the police had arrested and jailed two accused, Yuvraj and Jeetu alias Jeetendra in the case. Days later, on October 26, two more people, Rachit and Ankit, were arrested. All four, in their 20s, were residents of Rabupura.

“With the help of local intelligence, the Rabupura police on Sunday arrested the accused, Sumit, a 20 to 21-year-old and resident of Rabupura, from near Chachura village bridge,” said station house officer (Rabupura) Sujeet Kumar Upadhyay.

Police have formed four teams to nab the other accused.

In the FIR, a relative of the two victims, said, “The suspects had also made threats earlier. On that day, they arrived carrying sticks and iron rods and began hurling abuses and making casteist slurs, besides issuing threats.”

Assistant commissioner of police (Greater Noida) Sarthak Sengar said that, while both the victims suffered injuries, the 17-year-old died during treatment at the hospital, after which the charges were changed from attempted murder to Section 103(2) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He added that the uncle, who suffered injuries to his face, was in good condition.

The accused, meanwhile, have been charged under multiple sections of the BNSm including 103 (murder), 191 (rioting), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 309(4) robbery, and 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) besides relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, police said.