Bahraich/IBNS: Shopkeepers in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, cleared out their stores and saved their goods on Saturday, expecting a demolition drive after a week of communal tensions triggered by a man's death during a Durga Puja procession, which led to several arrests, media reports said.

Ram Gopal Mishra, a 22-year-old man, was shot dead in the Maharajganj area after a dispute over loud music during a religious procession.

A video from the incident showed Mishra frantically removing a green flag from a house rooftop and replacing it with a saffron flag before being shot.

He was rushed to the hospital but declared dead.

Property destruction, stone-pelting, and arson followed the incident.

The district remained tense for several days, with incidents of arson and vandalism, prompting the suspension of internet services for four days. Various properties, including a car showroom, were damaged.

On October 14, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed police to act firmly against those disturbing the peace and spreading rumours.

He also met Mishra's family in Lucknow, assuring them that justice would be served.

To maintain order, additional forces, including paramilitary units, were deployed. Mishra's family initially refused to cremate his body, protesting until authorities assured them of action against the accused.

On Thursday, five men linked to Mishra's killing were arrested after a police encounter in which two suspects, Mohammad Talim and Mohammad Sarfaraz, sustained gunshot wounds, reported NDTV.

The group allegedly attempted to flee to Nepal, and the suspects were identified as Mohammad Faheen, Mohammad Sarfaraz, Abdul Hameed, Mohammad Taleem alias Sabloo, and Mohammad Afzal, according to the report.

By Friday, 87 people had been arrested in connection with the rioting, and around 1,000 individuals were booked after at least 11 FIRs were filed.

Several local officials, including Circle Officer Rupendra Gaur and Tehsildar Ravikant Dwivedi, were removed from their posts, while a police station officer and an outpost in charge were suspended.

On Friday, the Public Works Department (PWD) conducted routine inspections in Maharajganj, measuring 20-25 houses, including that of Abdul Hameed, one of the suspects in Mishra's killing.

The PWD notice cited illegal construction within 60 feet of the road's central point and demanded that Hameed vacate the premises within three days or face demolition, with the costs to be recovered from him.

District Magistrate Monika Rani stated that the "encroachments" were being removed to widen the roads.

An anonymous official told PTI that this was part of an annual exercise to remove structures built on road intersections and curves.

The government action triggered panic among shopkeepers. Notices were issued to 23 establishments in Bahraich, 20 of which belonged to Muslims, causing shopkeepers to vacate their premises.

BJP MLA from Mahsi, Sureshwar Singh, told PTI that nearly 50 shops were affected, regardless of the owners' religion.

Roli Mishra, the widow of the slain Ram Gopal Mishra, demanded that her husband's killers face the same fate. She accused the authorities of accepting bribes to delay justice, criticizing the fact that the accused had only been injured in the police encounter. "We have been shown that they got bullet wounds on their legs, but justice is not being done to us," she said, reported NDTV.

Kailash Nath Mishra, Ram Gopal's father, expressed satisfaction with his meeting with Yogi Adityanath, stating that the Chief Minister had promised financial assistance, a job for his daughter-in-law, and health insurance.

However, he reiterated the family’s demand for the death of his son's killers.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, was prevented from visiting Bahraich on Saturday after receiving an advance notice from the district collector.

Pandey said that both the administration and his party advised him to postpone the visit to avoid worsening the situation.

"If something goes wrong, they will blame us," Pandey was quoted as saying by NDTV, adding that he was told to wait three days before visiting.