Ghazipur, May 31 (IANS) After the son of a hotelier was shot dead by four masked men in Kotwali police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur two days ago, the victim’s father on Sunday blamed the police inaction against an alleged extortion racket for the incident, alleging that members of the police force are in “nexus” with the gang members. He demanded encounter and bulldozer action against the accused.

According to the investigators, the prime suspect is associated with the alleged “Katra Gang”.

Alok Rai, father of the 29-year-old victim identified as Vineet Rai, said that the family does not have any personal enmity with anyone.

“He (the accused) is a criminal type of a person and operates a gang named ‘Katra gang’. His house is located 100 metres north to our hotel and right behind the hotel is the house of the village Head (Pradhan) whose brother also leads this gang,” he told IANS.

He said that the village head allegedly provides shelter to the gang members.

“This incident has been carried out together by all of them,” Vineet’s father added.

He alleged that the accused had demanded extortion from his family.

“They (accused) initially demanded Rs 20 lakh from us for running the hotel in the area and then increased it to Rs 1 crore,” Alok Rai said.

Refusing to pay any extortion amount, he asserted: “We will rather close the hotel.”

Blaming police negligence for the incident, Rai added: “I had written applications to the DGP, ADG Varanasi, SP Kotwali, and even the Chief Minister regarding the incident and even sent reminders but no action was taken on it.”

“Around 20 such incidents might have happened in the Kotwali area. FIR may have been lodged in just two-three of the cases,” he said, adding that extortion is the reason for all such crimes in the area.

Complaining of “police nexus” with the extortion gang, he alleged that certain police officials “actually helped the gang to operate”.

“The law-and-order situation in Ghazipur is zero,” the deceased’s father claimed.

Pleading for justice for his son, he said: “The accused should be encountered and bulldozers should be run on the houses of Katra gang members. All of them are illegal constructions.”

–IANS

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