Ballia fracas: BJP leader kills man in presence of officials
BALLIA/LUCKNOW: Police on Friday arrested two people including the brother of a local BJP leader who allegedly shot dead a man when a fracas broke out at a meeting attended by administration and police officials in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the suspension of the sub divisional magistrate (SDM), circle officer and all other policemen present at the spot in Durjanpur village in Ballia’s Reoti area, police said.
Five others have been detained but till Friday evening the main accused was yet to be arrested. As opposition parties targeted the state’s BJP government, local party MLA Surendra Singh defended him. “Dhirendra Pratap Singh opened fire in self-defence or else dozens of his family and associates would have been killed, the Bairia MLA told reporters. He had no other option. It was a do-or-die situation for him.”
Police said they are trying to track down the main accused, who heads the district unit of the BJP’s ex-servicemen cell. Police admitted that there appeared to be “laxity” on their part and suspended nine personnel — three sub-inspectors and six constables — posted at the Reoti police station. Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Suresh Chandra Pal and circle officer of police Chandrakesh Singh were suspended on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath soon after the incident on Thursday.
The meeting at Durjanpur village was over the allotment of ration shops. Jai Prakash (46) was shot dead in a fracas after the SDM decided not to go ahead with it due to a dispute between members of self-help groups.
Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Brij Bhushan on Friday visited the scene of crime along with Deputy Inspector General Subhash Chandra Dubey, and said the incident was “unfortunate” and strict action would be taken against all the accused.
The ADG said Narendra Pratap Singh, the brother of the main accused, has been arrested. “Besides Narendra, one Devendra Pratap Singh was also arrested in the case. So far, two people have been arrested and five detained, Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Yadav later said.
Narendra Pratap Singh and his absconding brother were named in the FIR, which also mentions 22-25 unnamed people. Victim’s brother Tej Pratap Pal alleged that police let off the main accused.
“There were 10 policemen on the spot. They were saving the culprits and beating us. When Dhirendra Pratap Singh was fleeing after the firing, police caught him from behind. But they later took him to a nearby embankment and let him go,” he told reporters.