On Camera: Revenue Dept Team Held Hostage, Thrashed By Locals In Kanpur Village, 50 Booked | Watch

Kanpur, UP: Fifty people have been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police after a team of revenue department officials was reportedly held hostage and thrashed by a mob of villagers in a village of the state’s Kanpur district.

According to reports, a revenue department team had arrived with a bulldozer to demolish an illegal structure built on state land in a village of UP’s Kanpur. However, the team consisting of three Lekhpals and a Naib Tehsildar, were allegedly held hostage by a mob of villagers who allegedly assaulted them and also vandalized their vehicles.

A video of the incident which has gone viral on social media sites shows revenue officials surrounded by a group of villagers, including some women. The officials are seen being pushed and shoved by the mob.

कानपुर के सचेंडी में अतिक्रमण हटवाने गए लेखपाल और नायब तहसीलदार को दबंगों ने पीटा। पुलिस का कहना है कि बिना सूचना दिए गए थे अतिक्रमण हटवाने। (Disclaimer : विडियो गालियों से भरा है)#Kanpur #Crime @NBTLucknow pic.twitter.com/wQeen9ooB6

— Praveen Mohta (@MohtaPraveenn) July 24, 2023

A case was registered in the Sachendi Police Station on July 18 in connection with illegal encroachment of government land and based on the complaint; a team of revenue department officials went to the village with a bulldozer to demolish the illegal encroachment on Monday (July 24). However, the government officials were chased and beaten by the villagers, police said, according to an India Today report.

Chased, held hostage, beaten

As per the report, the revenue department officials were held hostage by a group of around 50 villagers and their vehicles were attacked with stones by the mob. Fearing for their life, the officials tried to run away, but the mob chased them and thrashed them in the middle of the road.

Luckily, the officials were able to contact Panki Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tej Bahadur Singh, who quickly dispatched a police team to the spot who rescued them from the villagers.

50 villagers booked

ACP Singh said a case was registered against 50 people under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including assault, insurrection, SCST, obstruction in government work, among others. He said the police would have escorted the revenue team if they had informed the cops about their intent.

Following the incident, the Lekhpals have staged a boycott from work and said they will not return to work until all the accused were arrested. Infuriated by the attack, the revenue officials have announced a protest strike in government offices and demanded strict action against their attackers.

The officials have also urged the government to provide them security in the future.