From grievously beating woman constable on train to being shot dead by UP Police, READ Anees' full story

In a significant development, Anees, the prime suspect in the brutal assault on a female police constable aboard the Saryu Express train in Ayodhya, has been killed in a police encounter Friday morning. The encounter also left Anees’s two accomplices, Azad and Vishambhar Dayal, injured, and they are currently receiving medical treatment. The crime for which Anees and his accomplices were accused sent shockwaves throughout Uttar Pradesh, prompting the Allahabad High Court to take notice of the matter. On August 30, a female police constable named Sumitra Patel was discovered in a horrifying state beneath a seat on the Saryu Express. She was bleeding profusely, her clothing disheveled, and she had sustained injuries to her head and nose. Patel was immediately rushed to a hospital but was later transferred to Lucknow’s KGMU Hospital due to the severity of her injuries. The news of this heinous incident spread like wildfire, sparking outrage among the public. High-ranking police officials rushed to the hospital to visit Constable Patel, while opposition parties criticized the government’s response. Simultaneously, the Allahabad High Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter. Chief Justice Pritinkar Diwakar promptly established a special court at her residence on the night of September 3, initially filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the assault on the female police constable aboard the train. The court, subsequently, held a late-night hearing, displaying a stern stance. Chief Justice Diwakar not only expressed her displeasure during the special session but also issued notices to both the state government and the Railways. Furthermore, the court scheduled further hearings for Monday, September 4, at 12:00, instructing the government to provide detailed responses. The Uttar Pradesh government was also directed to ensure the presence of the Additional Solicitor General and responsible railway officials in court. However, during the subsequent hearing, the court expressed satisfaction with the investigative efforts of both the government and the Railways. As Constable Patel continued to battle for her life in the hospital, she faced a serious head injury that left her unable to speak for a week. This challenge complicated the police’s efforts to identify her attackers. Despite three weeks passing since the incident, the STF had yet to arrest any suspects. When Constable Patel regained her ability to communicate, she disclosed that there were two to three attackers involved in the assault. Acting on this crucial information, the police and STF teams meticulously reviewed CCTV footage from Mankapur and Ayodhya railway stations, identifying two individuals seen together. Additionally, they activated their informants across various areas, monitoring approximately 200 villages. They scrutinized mobile phone records to identify numbers active in the vicinity on the day of the incident. Finally, in the early hours of September 22, the police located the whereabouts of the assailants. During a raid in Inayatnagar, the police received intelligence that the suspects were hiding in the area. Upon initiating the operation, Anees, Vishambhar, and Azad opened fire on the police officers, according to cops. Vishambhar and Azad sustained injuries, while Anees managed to escape the area. Subsequently, the police cordoned off the entire region and cornered Anees in the Purakalandar area. Cops claim that they gave Anees multiple warnings to surrender but he continued to engage the police team in a gunfight, resulting in his own injury. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The police station incharge of Purakalandar, Ratan Sharma, and two constables were also wounded during the encounter but are currently receiving treatment and are in stable condition. According to the police investigation, Anees and his two associates boarded the Saryu Express on August 30. The poorly lit train became the setting for their attempt to sexually harass Patel. When she attempted to stand up to them, the assailants turned violent, ultimately brutally assaulting her. The trio inflicted severe injuries on her, and as the train approached Ayodhya station, they fled the scene. (With inputs from agencies)