Violence in the run up to the Panchayat polls continued as two more incidents were from Mainpuri on Monday. Two groups came to a head and exchnaged fire in Aucha locality where a SP MlA’s wife is in the fray. The two warring groups had another brush on Sunday night.
Sources said that agitated with the use of muscle power by SP goons led by the MlA, supporters of another candidate held Raj Kumar and his wife captive for several hours and released them only after senior officers assured them of unbiased action in the matter.
In Mainpuri, Shyam Baran Yadav is contesting for the post of Zila Panchayat member from Ward No-15, Kurawali (III). He was taking out a procession when his rival Vandana Yadav (a sitting Panchayat member) and wife of SP MlA from Sadar seat, Raj Kumar Yadav, had a heated exchange. later in the veening, the groups came to a head on Monday evening. Contractor Sharad Yadav, said to be close to the MlA, lodged a case claiming that his licensee weapon was looted by the opposite party. Interestingly the local police also registered a case in this regard against Shyam Baran and his 15 supporters.
About four hours after this incident, Vandana Yadav along with her husband MlA Raj Kumar took out a procession reached Nagla Andhra hamlet of Aucha. There another contestant Sujan Singh Yadav of Manpur was campaigning with his supporters.
There too the SP goons clashed with the opposite party and opened fire at each other in which Neeraj Bhadauriya was injured.
But unlike in Kurawali, the SP supporters and the MlA had to face rough treatment as hundreds of supporters of Sujan Singh held them captive.
On learning about the incident, senior officers rushed along with heavy police force and somehow managed to convince the agitating public of Rsfair action’ after which the SP MlA was released. later a case against the MlA and his wife was registered.
Interestingly, the SP MlA did not file any complaint against the opposite group.
But taking serious note of the incident in Mainpuri, the Samajwadi Party expelled its three leaders, including Sujan Singh, on Monday.
According to an official communiqué released by the SP, besides Sujan Singh, Satish Chandra Yadav (former block pramukh of Kurwali), and district panchayat member Satish Yadav were expelled for their anti-party activities.
Meanwhile, two more poll-related clashes were reported from Badaun and Bahraich.
In Badaun, Dharampal, contesting polls from Maujaddinagar Dhakankala, while his son Manweer, contesting BDC election from Ward No-49 of Guritha, claimed that sitting Block Parmukh, Suresh’ son Dinesh, was is also in the fray had tried to pressure them to withdraw their papers and threatened them.
Manweer said that when they refused, Suresh along with Veeresh, Dinesh, Umesh, Ranveer, Mukesh and a dozen others struck at their house and opened indiscriminate fire in the wee hours of Monday. He said that while he and his father and some other family members were injured in the attack, their close associate Madan lal was killed in the firing. He said that after locals rushed to their rescue, Suresh fled the scene leaving behind his Bolero Jeep. The police later arrested a dozen persons but Suresh and Dinesh were absconding.
Meanwhile in Bahraich, Rajan Singh and and Reeta Singh of Kaiserganj are in fray for Panchayat member polls. The two fel out on Saturday night which led to a clash. The matter took an ugly turn when Atul Singh, a friend of Reeta Singh’s husband Ranvijay Singh and half a dozen other supporters opened indiscriminate fire on the rivals. The diring left Gulab Singh (70) dead while Gulab’s wife Neelam Singh, Hari Ram, Rajan Singh, Guru Prasad, were critically injured had to be hospitalised. A case has been registered in this regard