Opposition leaders condemn Meerut killing of OBC youth, police say case solved

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday expressed strong outrage over the killing of a young man belonging to the Other Backward Classes in Meerut’s Sardhana area, terming the incident brutal and shameful.

Reacting days after the crime, both leaders urged the Uttar Pradesh government and district administration to remain alert and proactive to prevent such incidents. In a post on X, Mayawati said the murder of a youth from the Kashyap community deserved the strongest condemnation and stressed that antisocial and criminal elements must fear the law.

Akhilesh Yadav, in his statement, said the Samajwadi Party was raising its voice on behalf of the PDA community , alleging that a heinous crime had been committed against a young man who was later set on fire in the Jwalagarh area of Sardhana.

Responding to the political reactions, Meerut police clarified that the case was not recent. Officials said an FIR for murder was registered soon after the incident and the case was solved within 24 hours. The accused, a 16 year old minor , was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a child reform home.

According to the police, the incident occurred on January 5 on the Akhepur Rardhana Road. The victim was identified as Rohit alias Sonu (28) , a resident of the Kila locality in Muzaffarnagar. Preliminary investigation revealed that the murder followed an argument over loud music being played in a tempo.

Circle Officer Sardhana Ashutosh Kumar said the accused, a tempo driver, first befriended Rohit and made him consume liquor while he himself drank an energy drink. He later struck Rohit on the head with a brick, killing him. In an attempt to destroy evidence, the accused dragged the body around 15 metres and set it on fire near a school wall using clothes, dry leaves, and oil.

The incident came to light when a school watchman noticed a fire late at night and alerted the police. The body was identified the next day. Family members said Rohit worked as a confectioner in Mumbai and had returned to his village to look for a bride.

Police said the accused was identified through a barcode found on a liquor pouch recovered from the spot and CCTV footage from a nearby liquor shop, leading to the swift disclosure of the case.