A farmer was sprayed with bullets in Nauzarpur village under Sasni police station of Hathras district on Monday evening for daring to lodge an FIR against the assailants for molesting his daughter.
The accused were exerting pressure on the girl's family to withdraw the report and had been threatened with consequences.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a serious note of the farmer's killing and directed DGP HC Awasthi to slap NSA against the assailants and arrest them within 24 hours. The chief minister also directed the district administration to provide all support to the deceased's family.
On Tuesday, the family refused to cremate the body, demanding that the accused be arrested first. However, on the district administration's assurance of stern action, they performed the last rites.
The daughter of the deceased farmer told the police that her father had lodged an FIR against Gaurav Sharma and others. She said that her father, Amrish Kumar Varma (48), was working at the field when Gaurav and five others came and sprayed him with bullets on Monday evening.
The family members rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced brought.
"The deceased sustained bullet injuries on the head and chest. He had succumbed to his injuries when he was brought to the emergency ward by a few people," said a doctor on emergency duty in the district hospital.
Station House Officer of Hathras Gate police station Jagdish Kumar said that a case had been registered against Gaurav Sharma and others on the complaint of the deceased's family members.
"We have also invoked provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) and formed teams to arrest the main accused, Gaurav Sharma, and others involved in the crime," the SHO said.
"It seems to be a case of personal enmity. The deceased had lodged an FIR against the main accused and others after his daughter was molested in the market by them a few days ago. The main accused had warned the deceased to withdraw the case or face the consequences. To take revenge, Gaurav and his associates shot him," the investigation officer said.
Meanwhile, local opposition leaders put the blame of the farmer's killing on the Yogi Adityanath government's failure to control the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and the rising crime against women.
"Women and girls are unsafe in Uttar Pradesh. If a father dares to register a case against molesters then he is sprayed with bullets. Despite tall claims, the Yogi government has failed to check rising crime against women and girls," alleged a Congress leader.
Samajwadi Party leaders also reacted strongly, claiming that the BJP, after failing to save the life of common man, tried to shift blame on other political parties.
"To conceal their failure of providing security to sexual assault victim, the ruling party leaders just propagated that the killers belong to SP which is a complete lie," a SP leader said.