TWO KILLED IN FIRING; SP MLC, 5 OTHERS DETAINED

KANPUR: A local BSP leader and his sister were killed when a group of supporters of Samajwadi Party MLC Kamlesh Pathak allegedly opened indiscriminate firing over a temple land dispute between two groups in a village of Auraiya district in police presence on Sunday. SP Auraiya, Suniti said the police detained the MLC, his brother Santosh and four others in connection with the shootout. “Initial findings suggest the MLC’s brother Santosh Pathak fired upon the other side,” the SP said.

KANPUR: A local BSP leader and his sister were killed when a group of supporters of Samajwadi Party MLC Kamlesh Pathak allegedly opened indiscriminate firing over a temple land dispute between two groups in a village of Auraiya district in police presence on Sunday.

Superintendent of police, Auraiya, Suniti (she goes by one name) said the police arrested the MLC, his brothers Santosh, Ramu and three others in connection with the shootout.

IG, Kanpur, Mohit Agarwal confirmed the arrests. A case in this connection was being registered, the SP added.

“Initial findings suggest the MLC’s brother Santosh Pathak fired upon the other side,” the SP further said. As per reports, Pathaks had a feud with BSP leader Manjul Chaubey, 38, who was also a lawyer, over control of the Panchmukhi temple and its properties.

The two sides gathered at the temple after the Pathaks tried to take over on Sunday morning, the reports said.

In view of the tension, policemen were also deployed there to avert any untoward incident. According to police, five rounds were fired at the crowd. The bullet hit Chaubey, his sister Sudha, 23, and one other.

The police said the woman died on the spot while two other injured persons were rushed to Kanpur.

However, Chaubey died on the way, they added.

Meanwhile, the victims’ family has alleged since the temple land is at a prime location, the MLC wants to make a mall on it. The Pathaks moved to occupy the land a day after the caretaker of the temple died of natural causes.

While 32 cases are pending against the MLC, nine cases are lodged against his brother Santosh and seven against his other kin Ramu, the police said.