Lawyer’s family became homeless; they are wandering for justice
Prayagraj: In a village located 30 kilometers from the district headquarters, people are being bullied by a powerful man from a neighboring district. These powerful men seem unconcerned by the Yogi government. When a lawyer’s family began building their house, these powerful men arrived and demanded a ransom of Rs. 1 lakh. When they refused to pay, they assaulted the women and pelted them with stones. Somehow, the lawyer’s family has managed to escape and is hiding in the city and has been approaching officials seeking justice, but so far, they have received no assurances of safety.

In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ganga Par, lawyer Ashok Kumar, a resident of Todi Ka Pura in the Holagarh police station area, practices law in the district court. It is reported that he was demolishing his ancestral house and constructing a new one when half a dozen powerful men from a neighboring district arrived armed with weapons, demanded a ransom of Rs. 100,000 (100,000 USD) and began harassing the women when they refused to pay. When the lawyer’s family protested, they began pelting stones and even demolished the new construction. To save his and his family’s lives, the lawyer dialed 112 and reported the incident. Police arrived, managed to rescue his family and took them to the police station. Upon arrival, they discovered that an FIR had already been filed against the lawyer. The men threatened to shoot him if they were seen in the village unless he paid Rs. 100,000, and that no case would be filed against him anywhere in the state.

Frightened by the menace, the lawyer’s family has taken refuge in the city and filed a complaint at the District Magistrate’s office today, but have yet to receive any protection. The lawyer alleges that the menace is from a neighboring district and frequently extorts money from anyone building a house. They have made it a habit to assault the family if they refuse to pay. The police at Holagarh police station also side with the menace, clearly seeking a share of the extortion. Advocate Ashok Kumar has appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for protection of life and property, and demanded strict action against the menace. The advocate said that he would not go to his home until security was provided to him.