Uttar Pradesh: Young SP worker shot dead, party blames BJP role

Nigohi falls under the Tilhar assembly constituency from where Roshan Lal Verma is contesting on a Samajwadi Party ticket.

Verma said, “Dinesh was a polling agent and he was murdered by my opponents (BJP). To save themselves from the murder charges, the opponents also shot at an elderly person to build a cross-case.” The old man Verma referred to was identified as Virendra Singh Yadav, 60, who is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The police said Virendra is associated with the BJP but the party’s district president, A C Mishra, said, “We need to verify Virendra Singh’s association with BJP.”

Senior sub-inspector of Nigohi police station Brijesh Singh said the Tuesday morning clash took place between the two groups after an argument. While one group supports Sushant Singh, husband of sitting pradhan Babita Yadav, the other supports the former pradhan, Omveer Singh.

He added, “After the argument, the two groups started pelting stones at each other. The situation took an ugly turn when they started firing. A bullet each hit Dinesh Singh and Virendra Singh.”

After a police team rushed to the spot, they sent the injured persons to the hospital. Doctors declared Dinesh dead and referred Virendra to Lucknow for treatment, said a police officer, adding, “The assailants, however, had escaped by the time the police reached.”

Circle officer, sadar (Shahjahanpur), Akhand Pratap Singh said, “Sudhir was associated with Omveer Singh while Virendra belongs to Sushant Singh’s group. Today’s (Tuesday) incident occurred because of a dispute over the panchayat election and it is not related with yesterday’s (Monday) incident.”

Monday evening, after the polling was over, a clash broke out after BJP workers alleged that SP workers cast fake votes. SP workers then allegedly attacked BJP candidate Salona Khushawaha’s associate Akash Tiwari at Ishapur village. It was also alleged that the police too took action against Tiwari when he raised objections.

Following the incident, the BJP staged a protest outside Nigohi police station and demanded action against SP workers and the police officials who were helping them. Mishra along with Kushwaha and other senior leaders reached the police station.

BJP workers also blocked the Pilibhit-Shahjahanpur Road, pushing the police to use force to disperse the crowd. Later, senior police officials reached the spot and pacified the protestors by assuring action.

“A case was lodged against Verma and his associates on various charges at the Nigohi police station,” said Circle Officer Akhand Pratap Singh. BJP workers also alleged that the accused had kidnapped two persons.

Verma said a false case has been lodged against him and his associates. “The truth is BJP workers attacked my house late Monday evening and damaged my house and vehicles. I have filed a complaint with the police and so far, no FIR has been lodged,” he said.