Bajrang Dal activist shot dead in Noida

■ Kin say he had complained to cops about gambling, illegal liquor trade ◗ The police have initiated departmental inquiry into the allegations of inaction and suspended the in- charge of a police post

Noida, Oct. 5: A 24- year- old Bajrang Dal functionary was allegedly killed by armed men here, the police said on Friday.

According to the victim’s family, he was killed as he had complained to the police about gambling and illegal liquor trade by the accused. Following the killing, scores of people gathered at a police station to protest “police inaction” in the case.

The police have initiated departmental inquiry into the allegations of inaction and suspended the in- charge of a police post, officials said.

Three of the seven accused have been arrested, the police said.

Ajay Chaudhary, a resident of JJ Colony in Sector 8, was called out of his house around 9.30 on Thursday night by Sarfaraz, who took him to the road where the other accused were waiting, the police said.

“There they caught hold of him and Jeetu shot him in the chest while four more rounds were fired on him by others before they fled the spot brandishing the firearms,” the police said.

One of the neighbours who saw the incident rushed to help and alerted others. Soon Ajay was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the police said, citing the complaint.

Those accused have been identified as Shehzaad, Ashraf, Zafar, Sartaj, Rafeeq, Jeetu Yadav, Sitabu, while two others remained unidentified, the police said. “Three of them — Zafar Ali, Sitabuddin Ansari and Sartaj Khan — have been arrested,” the police said.

According to Vijay Chaudhary, his brother Ajay had made several complaints with the police as well as local authorities about the accused persons running betting racket, illicit liquor trade, drug trafficking and other illegal businesses.

A case was registered at the Sector 20 police station which has lodged an FIR for murder and related offences.

Scores of protesters reached the Sector 20 police station and demanded strict action against the culprits.