Bulandshahr violence: Armyman Jitendra Malik arrested

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday midnight arrested armyman Jitendra Malik, one of the suspects in the killing of police inspector Subodh Kumar during Bulandshahr mob violence.

"We've arrested Army jawan Jitendra Malik, he was handed over by Army at 12:50 am today (Saturday). Preliminary interrogation has been done. He is being sent to Bulandshahr and will be produced before court for judicial custody," said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abhishek Singh of Special Task Force in Meerut.

Jitendra alias Jeetu Fauji was detained by the 22 Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore town in Jammu and Kashmir and was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh Police for further investigation on Saturday.

"He accepted he was there when crowd started gathering. Prima facie, it has been found true. It's not yet ascertained if he is the one who shot Inspector or Sumit. He said he went there with villagers, but denied pelting stones on police. Forensic of his mobile will be done," Singh added.

Earlier on Saturday, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that full cooperation will be extended to the Uttar Pradesh Police in the investigation of the incident.

On December 3, clashes erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr after cattle carcasses were found in a field, which led to agitation by locals demanding the closure of all illegal animal slaughterhouses. In the protests that ensued, policeman Kumar and a civilian Sumit were killed.