A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district on Monday convicted 22 people in connection with the 2015 attack, arson and loot of the Mati police outpost under the Deva police station area.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar Singh delivered the verdict on May 25, 2026.
The court convicted all 22 accused under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, dacoity, assault on public servants, criminal intimidation and mischief by fire, along with provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Each convict was also fined ₹50,000.
However, the court acquitted all the accused of the charge of attempt to murder under Section 307 IPC, observing that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the allegation.
The convicted individuals include Kanhaiya Rawat, Kamlesh Verma, Sarvesh Kumar Verma, Kamlesh Rawat, Sonelal Rawat, Rakesh Rawat, Rajesh Verma, Ramu, Ajay Kumar Verma, Ranjeet Rawat, Angad Rawat, Rinku Verma, Chandrika Rawat, Dharmendra Rawat, Mantri Rawat, Vinod Rawat, Durgesh Rawat, Baida, Pramod Loniya, Putan alias Deshraj Verma, Siraj and Kabir.
The violence erupted on August 31, 2015, a day after an accused allegedly died by suicide inside the Deva police station lock-up in Barabanki district.
According to the FIR, nearly 150 men and women armed with sticks, iron rods and inflammable materials attacked the Mati police outpost after allegedly being instigated by local leaders.
The mob allegedly assaulted policemen, set the outpost and several motorcycles on fire, vandalised wireless systems and attempted to loot weapons from the armoury. Police records, cash and official equipment were also allegedly looted during the violence.
The incident triggered panic in the area, leading to market closures and the registration of serious criminal charges including rioting, arson and attempt to murder.
Separate charge sheets were filed between November 2015 and June 2016, and the cases were later clubbed together for a joint trial since they arose from the same incident.
During sentencing arguments, defence lawyers contended that the violence was not pre-planned and occurred after anger spread among villagers over the custodial death of Subhash Rajvanshi inside the Deva police station lock-up.
The defence argued that rumours of police assault leading to Rajvanshi’s death triggered public outrage, resulting in the accused becoming involved in the violence. It also sought leniency on the grounds that the convicts belonged to poor families and were sole breadwinners with dependent children.
Opposing the plea, prosecution counsel Arvind Rajput described the attack as a “daring and lawless” assault on a police outpost.
The prosecution argued that the accused torched government property, assaulted police personnel and looted official records and cash. Two constables posted at the outpost reportedly suffered fractures during the attack.
In its order, the court observed that the convicts had committed a serious offence by attacking and burning a police outpost, looting government property and assaulting police officials.
At the same time, the judge noted the economic and family circumstances of the convicts and held that awarding maximum punishment would not be justified in the facts and circumstances of the case.
