UP Man Shot Dead in Presence of Officials; BJP MLA Defends Accused

CM Yogi Adityanath has directed that the SDM, CO and police personnel present on the spot be suspended immediately.

(Photo: Video screenshot)

A 46-year-old man was killed in a firing on Thursday, 15 October, over a dispute at a meeting for selection of ration shops in Durjanpur village in Reoti area in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district.

The incident took place in the presence of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and the circle officer (CO) of the area.

While CM Yogi Adityanath has suspended the officers present at the spot, BJP MLA Surendra Singh has publicly spoken in support of the accused, calling the probe ‘one-sided’.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The incident took place in Ballia on Thursday during a meeting at the Panchayat Bhawan. The meeting had been called for allotment of ration shops that was cancelled by the sub-divisional magistrate due to a dispute between the members of self-help groups who had gathered there.

While the meeting was on, Jai Prakash Pal, a 46-year-old man, was gunned down by Dhirendra Singh.

WHAT THE POLICE SAYS

Superintendent of Police, Devendra Nath, said that an FIR has been registered in this regard against 15-20 people on the complaint of the victim's brother, reported IANS.

A sizeable police force has been deployed in the village to maintain law and order, the SP added. The role of the officers shall be investigated and if found responsible, criminal action shall be taken against them, he said.

WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED?

Six persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The arrested persons include the brother of the main accused and has been identified as Devendra Pratap Singh.

WHAT CM YOGI SAID

Yogi Adityanath had ordered the suspension of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), circle officer and all other policemen present at the spot in the Durjanpur village in Reoti area at the time of the incident.

WHY IS BJP MLA SURENDRA SINGH DEFENDING ACCUSED?

BJP MLA from Ballia, Surendra Singh, has come out to defend Dhirendra Singh.

Surendra Singh claimed that the accused fired in self-defence as his relatives were being attacked along with others present.

“If he wouldn't have fired then dozens of his relatives would've been killed. Wrongdoers should be punished under law. What happened shouldn't have happened but police should also act against other group which attacked women with sticks, iron rods,” Surendra Singh told ANI.

“The accused was beaten and his father was also beaten. If someone attacks someone’s family, then a reaction to the action will happen. Dhirendra Singh has been my close associate and what happened was unfortunate,” he told reporters on Friday.

“Nobody is looking at the pain of six women who have been injured in the incident. Dhirendra Singh fired in self-defence,” he added.

The MLA said that action should also be taken against those who beat up the family of the accused.

“Not only mine, he is a close associate of BJP as his family votes for us and he worked for us in polls. Everyone who votes for us is a close associate. But I decry the incident and the administration's one-sided probe,” Surendra Singh told ANI.

(With inputs from ANI and IANS.)