Shiv Kumar Patel was killed in 2007.
By Sreekanth A Nair
In a bizarre incident, the idol of a slain dacoit Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua and his wife Ketki was installed at the Ram-Janki Laxman and Panchmukhi Hanuman temple in Fatehpur’s Narsinghpur Kabraha village in the state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
The program was scheduled to be held in the presence of state Public Works Department (PWD) minister Shivpal Yadav. But he couldn’t attend the function.
State dairy development minister Ram Murti Verma had visited the temple on Saturday.
The ceremony took place in the backdrop of chanting mantras and flower showering as part of the 10-day long festival at the temple built by Shiv Kumar Patel.
It was Bal Kumar, former Member of Parliament of Samajwadi Party and the youngest brother of Patel, who was behind the installation of the idols. He said that many well-wishers have helped him in fulfilling the mission.
“They not only attended a series of programs on the temple premises but also supported the move to install the statues,” he told The Times of India.
“No one has the right to raise objection as temple is on a private land,†he added. He also said that Dadua is the person “who got this temple constructed and dedicated to the Ram Janki Laxman Panchmukhi Hanuman temple trust”.
Shiv Kumar Patel, who had 241 cases including murder, extortion and kidnapping against him, was shot dead by a special task force of UP police in 2007. He kept himself away from the eyes of the police for three decades and became a notorious dacoit in the area.
UP police had announced a reward of Rs. 5 lakh and Madhya Pradesh police had announced Rs. one lakh on him.
Dadua’s son Veer Singh is a SP Member of Legislative assembly, in Chitrakoot (Sadar) assembly constituency and his daughter is a block pramukh. Bal Kumar’s son Ram Singh is an SP MLA from Patti (Pratapgarh).
Bal Kumar said that there is no need for any permission to install the statues as the temple is on a private land.
Director General of Police Javeed Ahmed told the Times that a report had been sought from the inspector general, Allahabad Zone, on the issue and the police will take action if they find anything illegal.