Hardoi: Road accident death sparks violence, 2 more killed; 3 dead

An elderly man's death in a road accident in Hardoi sparked a violent clash, leading to two more deaths. Police chased and cornered three suspects, injuring two in a self-defence firing incident. Weapons were recovered from the accused.

A tragic chain of events in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi led to three deaths and a subsequent police encounter, officials said on Saturday.

According to Ankit Mishra, Circle Officer Hardoi, the incident began on March 27 in Dholiya village, where an elderly man died after being hit by a pickup truck. The situation escalated when the victim's family clashed with members of the opposing group, resulting in the deaths of two more individuals.

"On the night of March 27 and 28, at approximately 3:30 AM, the Sorsa Police Station received information via an informant regarding an incident that had occurred on March 27, 2026, in the village of Dholiya. This incident involved the death of an elderly man after he was struck by a pickup truck; subsequently, the deceased's family members engaged in an altercation with individuals from the opposing party, resulting in the deaths of two people. In connection with this matter, a case has already been registered at the Sorsa Police Station," CO Mishra said.

Police Chase and Encounter

Following the violence, police registered a case at Sorsa Police Station and launched a search for the accused. Acting on a tip-off in the early hours of March 28, police tracked three suspects fleeing on a motorcycle towards the Bilgram area. When cornered near Majhila Bridge, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police, prompting retaliatory action in self-defence.

"It was reported that three accused individuals involved in the aforementioned case were fleeing on a motorcycle from the Sorsa Police Station area towards the Bilgram Police Station area. Acting immediately upon this information, I, along with my team, chased individuals. Upon finding themselves cornered near the Majhila Bridge, the accused opened fire at the police with the intent to kill. In self-defence, the police returned fire, resulting in injuries to two of the accused, identified as Atul Kumar and Anoop Pandey," the police official said.

Weapons Recovered, Accused Injured

He further said that the police recovered country-made pistols, live cartridges, and an iron rod believed to have been used in the crime. The injured were rushed to the district hospital for treatment, and further legal proceedings are underway.

"From the possession of the accused Atul Kumar, the police recovered a .315 bore country-made pistol, one live cartridge, and one spent shell; similarly, from the possession of the accused Anoop Pandey, the police recovered a 12-bore country-made pistol, one live cartridge, and one spent shell. From the possession of the accused Neeraj Pandey, the police recovered an iron rod--identified as the weapon used in the crime, and a motorcycle. The injured individuals have been immediately sent to the District Hospital, Hardoi, for medical treatment. Other necessary legal proceedings regarding this case are currently underway," CO Ankit Mishra said. (ANI)

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