Man wielding shovel attacks five in northern India, two seriously injured
by Aditi VermaA man armed with a shovel attacked five people in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh, injuring two seriously. The suspect, identified as Prem Kumar Manjhi from Nepal, was arrested following the incident.
The incident took place at Revdi Talab, located in the Bhelupur area of Varanasi on October 17.
Visuals showed a man was roaming the road with a shovel in hand, aggressively attacking passersby. He swung the shovel forcefully at people as they walked by, causing chaos and panic. The bystanders in the area were visibly frightened, trying to keep their distance from the unpredictable and dangerous attacks. His violent swings of the shovel left everyone around in fear, unsure of where he would strike next, creating an atmosphere of tension and alarm on the street.
According to eyewitnesses, the attacker, identified as 26-year-old Prem Kumar Manjhi from Nepal’s Morang district, was heard making hostile remarks before he started striking people on the street.
Among the injured were Ansar Ahmed, who was sitting in front of his chicken shop, and Shahid from Mirzapur, who was standing nearby. Three others, Ishtiyaq Ahmed, Arshad Jamal, and Tanveer Ashraf, were also attacked but sustained minor injuries. Ansar and Shahid, however, were rushed to the hospital with critical head injuries.
As the incident unfolded, local residents gathered at the Bhelupur police station, demanding immediate action and expressing concerns over recent altercations in the area, allegedly involving bike-riding assailants targeting individuals unprovoked. The police quickly apprehended the suspect, who was described as mentally unstable and unable to provide coherent answers during questioning.
Prem Kumar Manjhi claimed that the attacks were in retaliation for something that had happened to his sister, although he failed to provide any specific details. Initial investigations suggest that the man may be suffering from mental health issues, and authorities are considering involving psychiatric professionals in the investigation.
In response to the incident, local law enforcement, with support from special agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), has increased patrols in the area to ensure public safety. Additional police forces and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed in Revdi Talab to prevent any further unrest. Local residents, frustrated with the rising incidents of violence, have demanded that the police take stronger measures against troublemakers in the community.
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