On Thursday evening, UP Police rescued 23 children in Farrukhabad. The children were taken as hostage by Subhash Batham. He took hostage over 23 children after inviting them for a birthday party at his house. After seven hours of taking the children hostage, he released a six-month-old girl and as a special team and other officials engaged with him. As per Police, Police was a murder accused and he seemed to be mentally unstable.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath announced an award of Rs 10 lakh for the UP Police team that successfully carried out the operation.
When Batham's wife who was also in the house came out, she was beaten up by villagers and taken for treatment at the nearby community health centre by the police. His wife succumbed to her injuries. Police confirmed Batham's death at around 1.30 am.
Reason for taking hostage
Batham had earlier sent a letter addressed to the local district magistrate. In the letter, he had complained about the lack of toilet facilities in his house and alleged that he had been denied government housing. He said that he was a labourer and had an ailing mother who had to defecate in the open. He claimed that he had to requested the authorities to build a toilet in his house but his demand remained unheard.
Who was Batham?
Police said Batham was a murder accused and he seemed to be mentally unstable. Inspector-General of Police, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal, said, "The man called the children for a birthday party and held them hostage in the basement of the house. He fired six shots from inside the building."
He said Batham fired on those who attempted to speak to him. He said Batham, who appeared to be mentally unstable, fired on those who attempted to speak to him. Batham wanted to talk to the local MLA, but he refused to speak to the leader when he arrived, Agarwal said.