More than 400 families have left the Nahal village in Ghaziabad after the killing of Constable Saurabh Kumar inside the village on the night of Sunday. After the killing of the 26-year-old police constable by a 22-year-old wanted history-sheeter Qadir, the villagers now fear a police crackdown in the area and have decided to abandon their homes. Only two medical shops are reportedly open in one of the lanes, and most of the houses have sealed windows and locked main doors.

The village is located 14 km from the Delhi-Ghaziabad Highway and is not too far from Masoori Lake. A police party from Noida Phase 3 Police Station raided the village to arrest Qadir, whose aide shot at the police during the arrest operation. Since Sunday, at least 14 people have been apprehended while 42 have been taken into preventive custody. After the firing incident inside the village on Monday, five people were arrested including Nanhu and Abdul Salam, after police shot them in their legs during the encounter.

The Accused

Another accused, called Abdul Rahman, who is wanted in a murder case, was arrested on the next day.

“There are around 10,000 people living in Nahal… 95% are Muslims and the rest belong to the Scheduled Caste. I don’t know what to do. I spoke to the District Magistrate about it. I’m trying to figure out a way,” said the Gram Pradhan Tassavar Ali. “People are scared, they’re leaving. We do not know who can be arrested,” the Gram Pradhan further added.

The medical shop owner in the area also reportedly told national media that about 400 families have left their houses and have gone to their relatives’ place since the police are arresting at their own will.