SP leader held for ‘threatening’ woman over property dispute

The woman has been provided police protection.

Samajwadi Party’s Farrukhabad district president has been arrested for brandishing weapons to intimidate and attempt to kill an elderly woman over a property-related dispute, police said on Monday. According to them, the incident occurred in the district’s Shamshabad police station area on Sunday.

In her complaint, the woman said Nadeem Ahmad Farooqui and his associate Shamim own a plot of land just behind her house. They allegedly wanted to demolish her house to build a road to their land. When the woman objected, nine people, including Farooqui, allegedly entered her house and beat her up.

“In Shamshabad police station area there has been a case of openly showing weapons to threaten people. A video of the same is viral on social media. Prima facie it was a matter of personal conflict between two sides. The weapons were openly shown by one side in order to threaten the other. An FIR has been registered in the case. We have taken the matter seriously and will take strict action,” said Farrukhabad Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Mishra.

The woman said her husband was dead, and she has no children. “Both Shamim and Nadeem have a plot behind my house. As they do not have a proper road to go towards the fields, they want to demolish my house to make a road. I politely said that this is the only house I have and where else will I go. On that, both said that I do not have anyone behind me and threatened me,” she added.

“Later in the day, around 11 am, they all came with weapons in their hands and barged into my house. They started abusing me. In a loud voice, Nadeem said that I meet with BJP leaders and should be killed. He pushed me on the ground and beat me up with fists and guns. Another person identified as Razi shot at me but missed. They also tore my clothes to demean me. I cried for help and some locals rushed to save me,” said the complainant.

According to Anil Mishra, a video showing Farooqui sitting on a bike and brandishing his licensed pistol is circulating on social media. The officer said an FIR was registered against Nadeem, Shamim, Razi, and others identified as Rabi, Meraj and Dharmendra, One of Nadeem’s guards, and two unidentified people were also booked. All of them have been charged for rioting, attempt to murder criminal intimidation among others.

Mishra said that while Farooqui was arrested, the rest were still absconding. The woman has been provided police protection.

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