One day after an MLA aide from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly shot dead a man in front of the Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) and Circle Officer (CO) in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, the legislator of the BJP from the Bairia assembly headquarters in Ballia, Surendra Singh, came out in defense of the defendant Dheerendra Singh. The legislator claimed that his assistant opened fire in self-defense.
A man was shot and killed on Thursday after Dheerendra Singh allegedly opened fire on a crowd in front of local administrative officials over a dispute at a meeting for the selection of ration shops in the Ballia district. The defendant left the scene in the middle of a situation similar to a stampede that followed the shooting. The deceased was identified as Jai Prakash Pal.
“I would like to appeal to the Ballia district administration not to take unilateral action,” Surendra Singh said. “If Dheerendra Singh had not opened fire, dozens of his family members would have been killed. What happened should be condemned, but there should be no unilateral action. The people who opened fire should be punished, but at the same time those who attacked with sticks and rods must also be punished. Dheerenda Singh opened fire in self-defense as she had no other option. “
Later on Friday, the police detained five people and arrested Dheerendra Singh’s brother.
Police Additional Director General (ADG) Brij Bhushan visited the crime scene in Durjanpur village on Friday, along with DIG Subhash Chandra Dubey, and said the incident was “unfortunate” and strict action would be taken against all defendants. The ADG said that Narendra Pratap Singh, the brother of the main defendant, was arrested.
Narendra Pratap Singh has been named in an FIR, in addition to his brother and 22-25 unidentified people. A district police officer said raids are under way to arrest the defendants. The main defendant remains at large.
Ballia Police Superintendent Devendra Nath said: “The incident took place after a clash broke out between two groups during the meeting. An investigation is under way.”
However, a brother of the deceased alleged that the police released the main defendant. “There were 10 policemen at the scene … they were saving the guilty and beating us. When Dheerendra Pratap Singh fled after shooting, the police had caught him from behind. But then they took him to a nearby embankment and let him go,” He said. on Friday Tej Pratap Pal, brother of the deceased.
Ballia District Magistrate Hari Pratap Shahi said the process of canceling the defendants’ gun licenses was underway. DIG Dubey told reporters that, prima facie, there was negligence on the part of the police.
Additional Police Superintendent Sanjay Kumar Singh said the nine police officers have been suspended. Five people have been detained for questioning, he said, adding that raids are underway to arrest the accused. Bairia MLA Surendra Singh confirmed that lead defendant Singh heads the BJP ex-military unit in Ballia district.
The opposition attacks CM
Soon after, Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the immediate suspension of local SDM Suresh Pal, CO Chandrakesh Singh and other police personnel who were present at the scene. He also ordered that strict actions be taken against the accused.
The role of the officers will be investigated and, if found to be responsible, criminal proceedings will be taken, said additional chief (internal) secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi in Lucknow. A sizeable police force has been deployed in the village to keep the peace, the SP said.
The incident occurred in the context of questions that were raised about the UP’s law and order situation, with opposition parties attacking the BJP-led government for the assassination.
The Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, said those in power are openly defying law and order. “A horrible incident that defied law and order in Ballia has come to light where a BJP leader shot and killed a young Jai Prakash Pal in front of SDM and CO. The BJP leader also escaped after being shot in front of to the police “, the official Twitter account of the party has been published.
Party and MLC spokesman Sunil Singh Sajan said the government is run by criminals and Thursday’s incident is proof of that. “There can be anything but law and order in the state. The BJP thugs are killing people in front of SDM and CO and may also flee the scene. Do you call this Ram Rajya, Yogi ji? The Ravan Raj was 100 times better than your regime. You should resign and ask the biggest criminal you know to take over as prime minister. The government is hand in hand with the criminals, you have finished with the government, “Sajan said.
(With PTI inputs)
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