UP violence: Accused jawan denies shooting cop

Prime suspect in the killing of Subodh Kumar Singh, the in-charge of Syana police station in Bulandshahar, during Monday's violence, army jawan Jitendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji on Sunday admitted that he was part of the mob that had attacked the police.

However, Jeetu denied having shot the policeman even as yet another senior police official was shunted out from the district.

Jeetu, who was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh police by army officials late on Saturday night, was later produced before a district court in Bulandshahar, about 500 kilometre from Lucknow, which remanded him to a judicial custody for 14 days.

Police sources said that the army jawan, who was posted at Kargil in Jammu & Kashmir, was grilled for several hours by the special task force (STF) of the state police.

''Though we have evidence to prove that Jeetu was part of the mob but we do not have anything as of now to prove that he had shot the inspector,'' said a senior police official in Bulandshahar.

Sources said that the video footage on the basis of which Jeetu was made the prime suspect in the killing, was also not very clear and did not conclusively show that the army jawan had opened fire at Singh.

Jeetu's brother Dharmendra Malik, who was also an army jawan, has also claimed that the former was ''innocent''. The family members also said that Jeetu was present at the scene of violence but did not either pelt stones nor open fire at the police.

The other three key accused, including Bajarang Dal district convener Yogesh Raj, continues to be at large even six days after the violence.

The state government on Sunday shunted out Raees Akhtar, who was additional superintendent of police, Bulandshahar. Three others, including the district police chief, were transferred on Saturday.

Nine people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence. Seven people have also been arrested on charges of cow slaughter that had led to the violence.