Noida: Ruckus after Bajrang Dal worker shot dead

Ajay Chauhan (25), a Bajrang Dal worker, was shot dead in Noida Sector 8 at around 9.30 pm on Thursday. An FIR was registered in the matter against six persons, of whom two are unidentified. As of Friday evening, police had arrested three persons, but Jeetu Yadav — the main accused — continues to be on the run, said a police officer.

On Thursday night, a group of around 50, including members of various right-wing organisations, gathered at Sector 20 police station to demand action. “The Sector 8 area, where the incident took place, is a hub of illegal activities like gambling and illicit liquor trade. Ajay protested against it and even went to the police to complain. He had gone to stop people who were gambling and because of this, they killed him,” alleged BJP Mayur Vihar youth leader Sanjeev Bhati.

His father and brother said that they were not aware of the work he did as a Bajrang Dal activist. “He worked during the day at a clothing store in Faridabad,” said his father Pramod Kumar.

On Thursday afternoon, hundreds of members from various right-wing outfits laid siege to the Sector 20 police station, surrounding it and blocking the road outside. They demanded that the SHO be suspended, the family receive compensation, that the NSA be invoked against the accused, and the locality where Ajay lived be named after him.

“We spent around four hours trying to placate the gathering. The City Magistrate and I met a delegation of around seven people, including family members. The chowki in-charge has been suspended for not being able to suppress illegal activities in the area,” said SP Singh. City Magistrate Shalender Mishra said demands for monetary compensation and government jobs for the family would be recommended to the CM.