Behead kin of murdered killer, 'orders' UP panchayat

MEERUT: A panchayat at a Muzaffarnagar village has allegedly decided to behead the relatives of a contract killer hacked to death in a Baghpat village in August. The terrified relatives have approached the police for protection.

The panchayat was held in Nagla Riyawali, in which representatives of a gang along with local residents decide to behead the relatives of the contract killer, Musahid, who was hacked to death in Niwada village in Baghpat. The gang, according to sources, had been involved in the killing Musahid.

The terrified relatives of Musahid approached assistant superintendent of police, Vidya Sagar Mishra, and informed him about the panchayat's decision, demanding protection from the villagers. Mishra has assured them of strict action against those involved.

However, the village elders of Nagla Riyawali have denied the allegations. "There was no panchayat, just an assembly of a few villagers who met to discuss how to arrive at a compromise with the relatives of Musahid. There was no such diktat about beheading anyone," said Nanhe Khan, one of the elders. "In fact, Musahid himself was a contract killer and his relatives are equally dangerous. We held that meeting to prevent bloodshed as we have reports that they were planning to strike back. Their approaching the police for protection is just sham."

As per the police reports, Musahid was brutally attacked and hacked to death. "His body bore marks of extreme torture. His hands had also been severed from the body when we found it near the Yamuna in Baghpat," said Mishra.

The villagers who showed allegiance to the gang of Riyawali wished to give the same treatment to the Musahid's sympathizers. As per local sources, in the last 5 years, Musahid had killed close to 30 people, but not many cases were filed against him because he was a contract killer who took jobs for anyone willing to pay. One of his victims was Tamur Ahmad, the leader of the dreaded Tamur gang. In 2011, Tamur had been gunned down by Musahid. As per the villagers at Riyawali, it is this gang that killed Musahid to avenge the murder.

Shahid, the brother in-law of Musahid, said, "Despite our repeated requests to the police department, it is not taking strict action to nab the culprits. They are often seen roaming in the vicinity of our village, because of which our family has left the village and has taken shelter in Dola village."

Soon after the murder, one of the accused, Naushad, had been taken into custody by the police and sent to jail.