Unnao Priest Murder Case: Main Accused Killed in Police Encounter, Probe Expands to Local Corporator’s Alleged Role
Unnao, Uttar Pradesh: An alleged criminal wanted in connection with the murder of a village priest was killed in an alleged police encounter in the early hours of Monday, bringing a dramatic development to a case that has drawn significant attention in the district over the past week.
According to police, the deceased accused, Israyil alias Ijrail, a resident of Purvi Tola village, had been absconding since the murder and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest.
Law enforcement agencies had been conducting extensive searches to trace his whereabouts following the killing.
The case has also taken a political turn, with the Unnao administration demolishing a ‘haata’ (a walled sitting area or gathering space) allegedly owned by local corporator Ateeq Khan.
Authorities claimed that the structure had been built on village panchayat land that was unlawfully occupied.
Officials clarified, however, that the demolition was separate from the murder investigation.
At the same time, they stressed that Ateeq Khan’s possible involvement in the case has not been ruled out.
While he is not among the individuals formally named in the murder FIR, investigators continue to examine whether he had any connection to the events leading up to the crime.
Speaking to the media, Unnao Superintendent of Police Jai Prakash Singh said that the investigation remains open on all fronts.
He noted that Ateeq Khan had not been given a clean chit and that police were carefully examining all available evidence regarding his potential role.
The Superintendent of Police further stated that, apart from Israyil, four other individuals had been named in the murder case: Mohammad Shafi, Shanu, Ajay Gautam alias Lalli, and Yameen.
Police arrested Shafi, Lalli, and Yameen on the very day the murder took place. However, Shanu and Israyil managed to evade arrest and had been on the run ever since.
Consequently, a reward of Rs 1 lakh each was announced for information leading to their capture.
The Murder That Shocked the Village
The case stems from the murder of Milan Das, a priest who was killed on June 9 in Purvi Tola village.
According to police investigations, Milan Das was the youngest among five brothers and had never married.
He had devoted much of his time and resources to the construction of a Shiva temple on land owned by him in the village.
Investigators said the temple site was located adjacent to the ahaata associated with corporator Ateeq Khan.
Police also noted that Ateeq had occasionally assisted Das in the temple’s construction activities.
Authorities stated that Milan Das frequently visited the ahaata and often spent time there with Ateeq Khan and several others.
According to investigators, there had been no known history of conflict or hostility between them before the incident.
On the day of the murder, police alleged that Ajay Gautam alias Lalli arrived on a motorcycle and took Milan Das to the ahaata.
By the time they reached the location, Israyil and several other individuals were already present there.
What began as a routine gathering reportedly took a violent turn when a sudden argument erupted between Milan Das and Israyil.
Investigators believe the verbal confrontation quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
During the scuffle, Israyil allegedly grabbed a knife that was lying nearby and repeatedly attacked the priest.
Milan Das sustained multiple stab wounds and collapsed at the scene.
The accused allegedly fled immediately after the assault.
Residents rushed the injured priest to a hospital in an attempt to save his life. However, doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Police have emphasised that the murder was not connected to the construction of the temple or to any religious dispute.
According to investigators, the killing appears to have been the result of a heated personal argument that spiralled out of control.
The Alleged Encounter
Following the murder, separate police teams were deployed to track down the two absconding accused, Shanu and Israyil.
The breakthrough came in the early hours of Monday. According to police, at approximately 3:40 a.m., a team from the Special Operations Group (SOG) received intelligence suggesting that Israyil was hiding near the Agra Expressway underpass in Tajpur village.
Acting on the tip-off, police personnel moved to the location and attempted to intercept him. Authorities claim that when officers approached, Israyil tried to escape and allegedly opened fire on the police team.
During the exchange, Constable Vikas Bhadauriya reportedly sustained injuries from gunfire. Police said they retaliated in self-defence, firing back at the accused.
Israyil was critically injured during the encounter and was immediately taken to a nearby government hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Police officials have stated that further investigations into the murder case are continuing, including efforts to locate the remaining absconding accused and determine whether any additional individuals were involved in the events leading up to Milan Das’s death.
The case remains under scrutiny as authorities pursue all available leads and seek to establish the complete sequence of events behind the priest’s killing.
