Hindu outfit leader Ranjeet Bachchan shot dead in Lucknow

Ranjeet Bachchan.

The leader of the right wing Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha was shot dead in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Sunday while he was out on a morning walk. Ranjeet Bachchan, 40, was shot in the head and his cousin Aditya Srivastava injured in the attack by unidentified assailants, who also snatched their mobile phones, according to Joint Commissioner of Police Naveen Arora.

In the complaint registered with the police, Aditya Srivastava said: “I, along with Ranjeet, went out for a morning walk. At around 6 a.m., on the road outside Globe Park, an unknown person who was wrapped in a shawl came from behind, and asked us to hand over our mobile phones. After this, the unknown person fired at Ranjeet, and also fired at me on my left arm. I ran from the spot.”

Police said Bachchan died on the spot while Srivastava suffered bullet injuries on his left hand. Four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, were suspended for laxity and a case has been registered at the Hazratganj police station in connection with the incident which occurred near the Collectorate building, days after Lucknow came under the Police Commissioner system, aimed at improving law and order.

The police released CCTV footage showing the suspect and announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for information on the killer.

According to Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani, Bachchan was also the working president of the outfit’s Uttar Pradesh unit.

‘Weigh options’

Criticising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the incident, Swami Chakrapani said: “Such incidents throw a challenge to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He should weigh his options on whether election campaigning in other States is more important or improving the law and order of the State.”

JCP Arora said, “As many as eight teams of the crime branch are working to solve the case.“