Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday said it would invoke the stringent National Security Act and Gangster Act against the accused in the killing of a 46-year-old man at a meeting attended by senior administration and police officials here two days ago, even as a local BJP leader, who allegedly shot the victim, continued to evade the cops.
Reward announced
A total of five people have been arrested and another five detained in connection with the Thursday incident. Also, 12 teams have been formed to nab the other accused, including local BJP leader Dhirendra Pratap Singh, according to the police, which has announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 on their arrest.
The FIR had named eight accused and mentioned “20-25” unidentified people in the incident during which Dhirendra Pratap Singh allegedly shot dead Jai Prakash as a fracas broke out at the meeting at Durjanpur village over the allotment of ration shops.
The incident has snowballed into a major political controversy after BJP MLA from Bariya Assembly seat Surendra Singh came out in support of the main accused.
On Saturday, Surendra Singh visited Reoti police station with the family members of the accused, claiming that they had also suffered injuries in the incident and an FIR should be registered.
Delegations of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party met the family of the deceased and attacked the Yogi Adityanath government.
“A cash reward of ₹50,000 has been announced on each of the absconding accused. Action will also be initiated under the National Security Act and the Gangster Act against the accused,” DIG (Azamgarh Range) Subhash Chandra Dubey.
Among the arrested are Narendra Pratap Singh, brother of Dhirendra Pratap Singh, and Devendra Pratap Singh.
Three of the ‘unnamed accused” were identified as Munna Yadav, Raj Pratap Yadav and Rajan Tewari and were arrested on Saturday, Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Yadav said.
The family of the deceased has demanded a compensation of ₹50 lakh, a government job for his son, pension to his widow, besides strict action against the culprits.
The police had admitted that there appeared to be “laxity” on their part and suspended nine personnel — three sub-inspectors and six constables — posted at Reoti police station.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate 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 Samajwadi Party said that on its president Akhilesh Yadav’s direction, an eight-member delegation led by Dayaram Pal met the family of Jai Prakash and assured it of financial help from the party.
