Village pradhan shot

DHARAMSALA, July 21: Tension prevailed in Nerti village in Shahpur constituency near here today following a firing incident in which the pradhan, Sanjeev Balloria was shot at allegedly by a local Bharatiya Janata Party worker for political reasons.

Balloria, who belonged to the Congress, was shot at in the morning while he was going out to lift stones from the local Kholi Khad. He received serious injuries in his left arm and 16 pellets were reportedly spotted at the point of injury. He was taken to the zonal hospital, Dharamsala after the incident.

The victim is said to be a close associates of a former Congress leader of Shahpur, who was defeated in the assembly elections by a BJP candidate earlier this year.

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Balloria has alleged that he was being threatened continuously by the accused ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had taken over in Himachal. However, it is also being said that he had a rift with the accused over business interests involving lifting of stones.

The police have registered a case under section 307 of Indian Penal Code, but the accused has yet to be arrested.

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