A poll-related clash that broke out between the workers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) over charges of fake voting in Shahjahanpur took a bloody turn when a 25-year-old SP polling agent Dinesh Singh Yadav was shot dead while an elderly Virendra Siungh Yadav (60) was left injured at Vikrampur Chakora village in Nigohi police station area on Tuesday morning. SP workers were allegedly attacked by members of the ruling BJP.
The police, however, maintained that the shooting took place after two warring groups entered into a brawl over an old dispute of the Gram Pradhan election. The Shahjahanpur Police also denied that the murder of the young SP worker was linked to Monday's clashes over fake voting. Nigohi falls under Tilhar Assembly seat of Shahjahanpur from where Roshan Lal Verma is contesting on a Samajwadi Party ticket. Verma said, "Dinesh was a polling agent and he was murdered by opponents (BJP). To save themselves from murder charges, the assailants also shot at an elderly person to build a cross-case.
The police said that Virendra Singh Yadav was associated with the BJP but the party's district president, AC Mishra, said, "We need to verify Virendra Singh's association with the BJP.' The Shahjahanpur police said that the two warring groups came to a head after an argument in the village on Tuesday morning. While one group supported sitting Gram Pradhan Babita Yadav's husband Sushant Singh, the others were aligned with the former Gram Pradhan, Omveer Singh.
After the argument snowballed both groups resorted to stone pelting and later exchanged fire in which Dinesh Singh and Virendra Singh Yadav were hurt. After a police team rushed to the spot, they sent the injured to the hospital where doctors declared Dinesh Singh dead and referred Virendra to KGMU, Lucknow for specialised treatment, The assailants managed to escape by the time the police reached the scene.
Earlier on Monday evening, after polling was over, a clash broke out after BJP workers alleged that SP workers cast fake votes in Nigohi. Later SP workers allegedly attacked BJP candidate Salona Khushawaha's associate Akash Tiwari at Ichapur village. It was also alleged that the police only acted against Tiwari when he objected. After the incident, the BJP staged a protest outside Nigohi police station and demanded action against SP workers and the police officials aiding them. Mishra along with Kushwaha and other senior leaders reached the police station. BJP workers also blocked the Pilibhit-Shahjahanpur Road, after which the police used force to disperse the crowd. Later, senior police officials reached the spot and pacified the protestors by assuring action. A case was lodged against Verma and his associates on various charges at Nigohi police station and Inspector of Niogohi police station and some personnel were sent to the Reserve Police Lines.
On his part SP candidate Roshan Lal Verma said that a false case was lodged against him and his associates. 'The truth is that BJP workers attacked my house late Monday evening and damaged my property and vehicles. I have filed a complaint with the police but so far, no FIR has been lodged," he said.