Lucknow, July 11 (IANS) A Dalit youth was shot dead and beheaded in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh late Thursday night. What came as a shocker for the police was that the killers escaped with the head. The incident took place in the Soinagaon village of Barabanki, about 30 km from here. “According to the family members of the deceased, Ramnaresh, they had a land dispute with one Sattar Ahmed of the same village for many years,” Praveen Kumar, superintendent of police Barabanki, told IANS.

According to the complaint, Ramnaresh was going to the village market late Thursday evening when Ahmed, his three sons and two others attacked him.

Ramnaresh was shot dead and the attackers chopped off his head. “We have lodged a named FIR against seven persons. All are absconding and we are making efforts to nab them,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the village Friday and a heavy police force, along with the para-military, has been deployed.

Senior police officials, including the deputy inspector general, also visited the village and assured quick action.

The police conducted a rigorous search for the missing head in a periphery of about 10 km but could not find it. “The adjoining fields, ponds, wells and other spots were scanned but nothing was found,” Kumar said.