The Meerut Police has arrested six Dalit youths last Saturday night alleging that they were attempting to create caste violence by murdering an MLA of an upper caste to avenge the death of Sachin Walia, brother of Bhim Army’s Saharanpur district president, who allegedly died in accidental firing. Police have claimed that Sachin Walia had died in accidental firing, while the accused claim it was caste based.
Police said that the six arrested are residents of Ghaziabad and were reportedly arrested from Hastinapur police station area in Meerut. While Kamal Walia refused to speak on the matter, Bhim Army Saharanpur city president Praveen Gautam denied that the six were its sympathisers claiming that the Meerut unit of the Bhim Army had been long dissolved.
The Police claims that if they would have succeeded in killing the MLA, caste-based violence could’ve taken place in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut and Noida. Police claim that the murder was planned as revenge and even a WhatsApp group with the name ‘Badla’ was created for coordination.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Rural (Meerut), Rajesh Kumar reportedly said that a conversation between two of the six arrested revealed their plan to kill the MLA to avenge the death of Sachin and disturb law and order. Police also claims the accused had arranged for weapon and vehicle for the crime.