Two Bullets, Not One: New Twist in Bhim Army Activist's Death
According to new reports the 22-year-old was hit by two bullets, not one. This new information has discredited the police's working theory that Sachin accidently shot himself while cleaning his gun.
Image for representational purposes.
Saharanpur: The post-mortem report of 22-year-old Bhim Army activist Sachin, who is also the brother of the outfit's district president Kamal Walia, has thrown up some new facts.
News18 accessed a copy of the post-mortem report, which says the 22-year-old was hit by two bullets, not one. This new information has discredited the police's working theory that Sachin accidently shot himself while cleaning his gun.
The post-mortem report makes mention of two entry wounds and one exit wound. "Gunshot wound of size 1 cm X 0.8 cm X through and through at right side of upper lip of mouth (sic)," it says, adding that "two teeth fractured right upper incisors with surrounding soft bone lacerated. Gunshot wound surrounded by blackening. Tattooing present in an area of 26 cm X 20 cm on face, of neck and upper part of front of chest. Probe passed through the wound, downward and laterally up to 26 cm."
Describing the exit wound, it says,"A lacerated wound of size 1.5 cm X 0.5 cm scalp deep on back of head. 12 cm behind left ear."
According to a government doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, this means it is unlikely that Sachin died in an accident.
"According to the report, it is likely to be a near shot at 50-60 cm distance at the level of face from the right side of the face. While it could be a self-inflicted gunshot, it doesn't explain the second bullet. This is most likely a case of murder because in case of an accident, the victim would have died immediately after the first shot."
The report further states that while the first bullet, the one that hit his face, went straight through, the other was found lodged in his chest. The second bullet was sent to the SSP in a sealed packet.
Saharanpur SSP Babloo Kumar was unavailable for comment. Sachin's friends and family said this further revealed that the cops were trying to “cover up” the case.
"The police should explain the second bullet. One bullet can be an accident, but not two. We demand answers. The police had leaked the theory to the media that he was killed in accident. They should now clear things out," said Robin Gautam, Sachin's friend and fellow Bhim Army activist who was with him moments before his death.
The incident took place on Maharana Pratap Jayanti on May 9, which was also the first anniversary of the 2017 Saharanpur riots.
In the run-up to this year's Jayanti, several Rajput outfits had demanded permission to celebrate the event. Bhim Army had in turn demanded that permission be denied to Rajput outfits since it could lead to a breakdown of law and order.
As a compromise, the administration only gave permission to a gathering of 200 people. But despite heavy deployment of the RAF, PAC and civil police, a violent incident could not be prevented. The distrust of the state machinery deepens further, said Bhim Army leaders, when one takes into account the fact that one of the outfits at the forefront of the Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebrations was the Hindu Yuva Vahini — an outfit that owes allegiance to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Around 300 meters from Saharanpur's Maharana Pratap Bhavan, where the celebration was held, lies the Dalit dominated village of Ramnagar. Kamal Walia's house is 500 meters from the venue. The facts of the case state that Sachin Walia, the local media in charge of the Bhim Army, was killed after a gunshot between the upper lip and nose around noon. He was rushed to the hospital and declared "brought dead". But beyond this, there is little consensus.
It isn't just the manner of his death that is in doubt. Even the location is under question. According to police sources, Sachin accidently shot himself in the house, after which he was taken the hospital. The blood trail, said a source, was leading from his house to the main road. But Robin Gautam said Sachin was shot some 200 meters from the house.
News18 accessed a copy of the post-mortem report, which says the 22-year-old was hit by two bullets, not one. This new information has discredited the police's working theory that Sachin accidently shot himself while cleaning his gun.
The post-mortem report makes mention of two entry wounds and one exit wound. "Gunshot wound of size 1 cm X 0.8 cm X through and through at right side of upper lip of mouth (sic)," it says, adding that "two teeth fractured right upper incisors with surrounding soft bone lacerated. Gunshot wound surrounded by blackening. Tattooing present in an area of 26 cm X 20 cm on face, of neck and upper part of front of chest. Probe passed through the wound, downward and laterally up to 26 cm."
Describing the exit wound, it says,"A lacerated wound of size 1.5 cm X 0.5 cm scalp deep on back of head. 12 cm behind left ear."
According to a government doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, this means it is unlikely that Sachin died in an accident.
"According to the report, it is likely to be a near shot at 50-60 cm distance at the level of face from the right side of the face. While it could be a self-inflicted gunshot, it doesn't explain the second bullet. This is most likely a case of murder because in case of an accident, the victim would have died immediately after the first shot."
The report further states that while the first bullet, the one that hit his face, went straight through, the other was found lodged in his chest. The second bullet was sent to the SSP in a sealed packet.
Saharanpur SSP Babloo Kumar was unavailable for comment. Sachin's friends and family said this further revealed that the cops were trying to “cover up” the case.
"The police should explain the second bullet. One bullet can be an accident, but not two. We demand answers. The police had leaked the theory to the media that he was killed in accident. They should now clear things out," said Robin Gautam, Sachin's friend and fellow Bhim Army activist who was with him moments before his death.
The incident took place on Maharana Pratap Jayanti on May 9, which was also the first anniversary of the 2017 Saharanpur riots.
In the run-up to this year's Jayanti, several Rajput outfits had demanded permission to celebrate the event. Bhim Army had in turn demanded that permission be denied to Rajput outfits since it could lead to a breakdown of law and order.
As a compromise, the administration only gave permission to a gathering of 200 people. But despite heavy deployment of the RAF, PAC and civil police, a violent incident could not be prevented. The distrust of the state machinery deepens further, said Bhim Army leaders, when one takes into account the fact that one of the outfits at the forefront of the Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebrations was the Hindu Yuva Vahini — an outfit that owes allegiance to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Around 300 meters from Saharanpur's Maharana Pratap Bhavan, where the celebration was held, lies the Dalit dominated village of Ramnagar. Kamal Walia's house is 500 meters from the venue. The facts of the case state that Sachin Walia, the local media in charge of the Bhim Army, was killed after a gunshot between the upper lip and nose around noon. He was rushed to the hospital and declared "brought dead". But beyond this, there is little consensus.
It isn't just the manner of his death that is in doubt. Even the location is under question. According to police sources, Sachin accidently shot himself in the house, after which he was taken the hospital. The blood trail, said a source, was leading from his house to the main road. But Robin Gautam said Sachin was shot some 200 meters from the house.