Updated: October 18, 2020 4:00:28 pm
According to police sources, Singh was arrested in Janeshwar Mishra Park in the state capital. [ANI]
Three days after a 45-year-old farmer was shot and killed in the presence of administrative and police officials in Ballia District, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested the main defendant, Dhirendra Pratap Singh, from Lucknow on Sunday.
According to police sources, Singh was arrested in Janeshwar Mishra Park in the state capital.
With this, ten people, including brothers Devendra and Narendra de Dhirendra, have been arrested in the case. While Dhirendra was booked for murder, seven others were arrested for criminal conspiracy. There are at least 20-25 anonymous people in the case, PTI reported.
Thursday’s shooting, following a fight over the allocation of a ration shop, took place in public view, causing chaos. According to the police, Singh shot the farmer with his authorized pistol.
Taking notice of the matter, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the suspension of all police personnel and officials, including Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Suresh Kumar Pal and Circle Officer Chandrakesh Singh, who were present at the scene.
Recently, a reward of 75,000 rupees was announced for each of the named defendants who escaped. Police department sources suggested that the administration might also consider registering the accused under the National security law.
Amid reports that Singh is a local BJP leader, the chairman of the Ballia district unit of the saffron party, Jai Prakash Sahu, denied that Singh was a party worker, but added that “he could be a BJP supporter. “.
Bairiya’s MLA BJP Surendra Singh said Singh is a former army and BJP supporter.
On Friday, Surendra Singh had come out in support of the main defendant, claiming that the latter had opened fire in self-defense for being a “kill or die“Situation then.
“Dhirendra Pratap Singh opened fire in self-defense or dozens of his family and associates would have been killed… He had no choice. It was a life and death situation for him, ”the BJP lawmaker told reporters.
In Lucknow, Additional Chief Secretary (Interior) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said that in addition to the SDM and the circle officer, 10 more police officers, including two sub-inspectors and eight officers, have been suspended.
The role of the Revati police station officer is also being investigated, Awasthi added.
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