A 35-year-old Dalit farmer, Devi Shankar, was brutally murdered, and his body set on fire in an orchard at Isota Lohagpur village, located in the Karchhana tehsil of Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district, late Saturday night, police said.
Seven upper-caste men — six of them from the same family — have been named in an FIR on charges of murder following a reported argument. Although no formal arrests have been made, police have detained six individuals for questioning.
According to officials, Shankar was last seen alive on Saturday night when Dilip Singh (28), one of the accused, visited his home around 10:30 p.m. and asked him to help carry a load in the fields.
The following morning, Shankar’s half-burnt body was discovered in the orchard.
Initial findings suggest that the murder stemmed from a dispute involving a woman. The post-mortem confirmed strangulation as the cause of death and clarified that the burn injuries were inflicted posthumously in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Shankar’s father, Ashok Kumar alias Baggi, who identified Dilip Singh, Manoj Singh, Shekhar Singh, Mohit, Ajay Singh, Vinay Singh, Sonu Singh, and an unidentified individual as the suspects. According to the complaint, Ajay, Vinay, and Sonu are siblings.
Shankar’s father stated that after his son was taken away, the family was informed early the following day about the horrific killing. He also alleged that the accused returned to their home later, hurled caste-based slurs, and threatened them.
Prayagraj Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vivek Chandra Yadav confirmed that several suspects were being questioned and that statements from residents were being recorded as part of the ongoing investigation.
Sources suggest that apart from two individuals named in the FIR, the police are also probing the involvement of two others who were not originally mentioned.
Shankar, a widower for the past five years, is survived by his three children, including an 18-year-old daughter.
His brother, Shyamji, alleged that the murder was a pre-planned act. “Dilip Singh lured my brother to the fields on the pretext of work and then got him killed,” he claimed.
According to the police, after completing fieldwork that evening, Shankar and the accused had consumed alcohol together in the orchard. A liquor bottle was recovered from the scene.
Investigators believe a heated argument broke out over a local girl, which escalated into violence.
During the altercation, Shankar was allegedly struck on the head with a brick and then strangled to death. His body was subsequently set on fire to conceal the crime.
The police have filed a case under various sections, including murder, rioting, and criminal intimidation, along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.