Constable's murder in Gzb: Nahal residents on edge after police raids

A week after a Noida police constable was shot dead during a raid in Ghaziabad's Nahal village, the arrest tally has risen to 14. But residents claim at least 50 to 60 more men have been picked up or detained in sweeping midnight raids that have left the village nearly deserted and families on edge.

- Peeyush Khandelwal

GHAZIABAD:

Around 70% of the village residents vacated by Tuesday, but the situation of those staying behind remained tense, locals said, adding that the village has heavy police presence and their property has been damaged by police in late-night raids.

Forty-five-year-old Nazreen, standing beside a half-broken portion of her house's main door, blamed police for the damage, alleging a group of policemen forcefully entered her residence and conducted a raid late Monday. "It was the second night after the murder. Dozens of policemen barged in well past midnight, broke the door, and stormed the house looking for my sons," she said. "They live and work at a mill. They've been there for 10 days. I kept telling the police, but they searched the whole house."

Locals claimed that at least 50—mostly men aged between 20 and 35—were picked up on suspicion but have yet to return or be officially acknowledged as arrested.