Mob runs amok on Kanpur highway over petty dispute

Lucknow: A minor dispute between two students of engineering over friendship with a girl snowballed into a group clash leading to mayhem on Lucknow-Kanpur highway on Monday evening.

The two groups fought a pitched battle and went on the rampage, damaging around 25 four-wheelers of commoners and leaving several people injured.

Commuters were forced to leave their vehicles in the middle of the road and take shelter in nearby houses or shops to save their lives. The chaos also led to a two-hour traffic jam on the busy highway. Though four persons were arrested, the prime accused are still at large.

This is the second incident of violence in the city in the past week where disputes between two individuals on friendship with a girl have led to group clashes. On August 14, two youths were killed by a rival group in Indiranagar.

Monday’s incident occurred around 6pm in Banthra, a stone’s throw away from the police station. Eyewitnesses told TOI that traffic was moving at a normal speed when suddenly two groups comprising 50-60 people on each side stormed the road and started attacking each other with metal roads and sticks followed by brick-batting.

The rioters also attacked commuters and damaged their vehicles. The mayhem continued for over 30 minutes even after the arrival of five police personnel from the nearby station. The police then called for back-up and soon a heavy posse arrived. Police had to cane-charge the rioting mob to bring the situation under control. Four miscreants were nabbed, while others managed to escape.

Banthra sub-inspector Santosh Kumar said that the clash was a fallout of a dispute between two BTech students—Abhay Choubey and Abhishek Singh—of a technical institute over friendship with a girl in the college. Abhishek and his aides thrashed Abhay in the college on August 17. In retaliation, Abhay, a Manasnagar resident, and his aides attacked Abhishek near his house in Banthra on Monday. However, as locals came out for his rescue, a clash ensued.

Later, police registered an FIR on its own against 16 named persons and 30 unidentified ones from both groups.

A victim, Dharmendra Singh of Kanpur, lodged a separate FIR claiming that his car was damaged and he was robbed of Rs 50,000. Two other commuters whose vehicles were damaged, also lodged FIRs.

SHO Banthra Ramesh Singh Rawat said those arrested include Lakhan Singh, Karan Veer Singh, Vishal Singh and Paramveer Singh, all from Banthra and aides of Abhishek. Two four-wheelers and seven two-wheelers left behind by the rioters were seized. Abhay and Abhishek are still at large.