Murder convict attacked to death in Hardoi village

Eighteen people, including seven women, have been arrested for beating a murder convict to death in front of a constable and a home guard in a Hardoi village on Monday, senior police officials said on Tuesday. The crime was executed to avenge the murder, allegedly committed by the victim in the same village nearly 17 years ago, they claimed.

According to Hardoi superintendent of police (SP) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, the incident took place in Bhaingaon village under Beniganj police station limits on Monday afternoon when one Rahul, along with over 40 others, fatally attacked Sarpanch Mahawat (49), who was accused of killing Rahul’s father Rampal, along with his brother Bablu, in 2009.

Beniganj police station inspector in-charge Krishna Bali Singh said Sarpanch was convicted in Rampal’s murder and was released during the COVID outbreak in 2021. He initially stayed in Delhi for some time after coming out of jail.

“He returned to the village recently, believing people would have forgotten about Rampal’s murder after so many years. However, Rampal’s son Rahul, who was a small kid at the time of his father’s murder, was waiting to avenge the killing,” Singh said.

Another local police official said Rahul, along with some other local residents, attacked Sarpanch with batons at his house on Monday afternoon. He said the local police were immediately informed about the incident, following which a constable and a home guard were sent to the place.

He said Sarpanch, surrounded by nearly four dozen people, had locked himself in the house to save his life. He opened the door when the constable and the home guard reached the scene.

“Sarpanch came out of the house after being asked by the constable. However, the people waiting for him to come out attacked him when the constable tried to take him away, causing fatal injuries to Sarpanch. He was rushed to a nearby community health centre, where the doctors declared him dead,” the police official said, adding Rahul and 17 others had been arrested.