Representative image for an arrest.
Credit: iStock Photo
Gonda (UP): A BJP councillor has been arrested following an encounter with police in connection with the murder case of a Samajwadi Party (SP) worker in this Uttar Pradesh district, officials said on Wednesday.
Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said SP worker Om Prakash Singh (45), a resident of Mohalla Raja Tola in Parsapur town, was killed in broad daylight on Friday. A murder case was registered against five people, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Udaybhan Singh alias Lallan Sing and his three sons, following a complaint from the victim's wife.
The officer said police had already arrested two accused -- Chandan Singh and Rohit -- in the case, but the main accused, Udaybhan Singh, was absconding. Police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on information leading to his arrest.
Jaiswal said on Tuesday night, a police team surrounded Udaybhan Singh on the Colonelganj-Belsar-Nawabganj road, when he opened fire on the security personnel. Udaybhan Singh was injured in the retaliatory firing by police. He was arrested from the spot and admitted to a hospital for treatment. A motorcycle, a pistol and empty cartridges were seized from his possession, the officer said.
Accusing the local police of helping the accused, the family members of the deceased SP worker had refused to cremate the body until they were arrested and staged a dharna by keeping the body on the road.
Meanwhile, on the instructions of SP president Akhilesh Yadav, a party delegation visited the victim's house and provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family on behalf of the party. The delegation assured the family members of every possible help in getting justice.
During the meeting with the delegation, the victim's daughter raised questions on the investigation carried out by the local police and demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident. The family also demanded financial help from the state government, along with a government job to one of the family members.