In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old was allegedly beaten to death over a dispute involving a mere Rs 200 loan. The issue has sparked protests from family members, who placed his body on the Gonda – Lucknow Highway, police said on Tuesday.
The victim, Hriday Lal, a mason from Laxmanpur Jaat village, had lent Rs 700 to a villager, Ram Anuj. A heated argument broke out between the two when Lal demanded his money back on August 1.
The argument took a violent turn when the victim was allegedly beaten with sticks by Anuj, his brother Ram Kishore, his son Jagdish, and nephews Pankaj and Chandan. After the assault, Lal was taken to Lucknow for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 4.
When the body was being brought back from Lucknow in an ambulance on Monday, the family tried to stage a protest and block the Gonda–Lucknow highway at Balpur by placing the body on the road. Police from local stations intervened in the matter, cleared the blockade, and ensured that the body was taken to the village.
The cremation was eventually conducted late on Monday night under police supervision. All named accused have been arrested and charged under relevant BNS sections. The post-mortem was conducted in Lucknow, and further legal action will follow based on the report. Police have been deployed in the village to maintain peace.
