Deteriorating law and order continued to nag the state government as a fresh case of the sensational killing of a sadhvi of 'Juna Akhara’ was registered in Shahjahanpur while BJP leaders were attacked during a 'padyatra’ in Etawah on Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, two BJP leaders were killed in Lucknow and Ghaziabad respectively, while two persons, including an inspector, lost their lives in mob violence in Bulandshahr. On Tuesday, sadhvi Koyal Giri of Juna Akhara in Shahjahanpur was having a property dispute with the local land mafia. The dispute took an ugly turn when the mafiosi's hitmen attacked Koyal Giri and later set her ablaze before fleeing from the scene of crime. Critically-injured Giri was rushed to the district hospital and from there was taken to a private hospital in Bareilly, where she succumbed.
IG, Bareilly Range, Prem Prakash later directed SSP of Shahjahanpur to arrest the accused and initiate stern action. Sources said that an FIR was registered in this connection with Tilhar police station and five persons were named. Raids were conducted but the accused had absconded.
Meanwhile, in Etawah, BJP workers and leaders in the presence of minister incharge of the area Manvendra Singh, along with district BJP chief Shiv Mukesh Dubey, media incharge Jitendra Gaur, took out a padyatra in Behda hamlet of Bakewar on Tuesday afternoon, when they were attacked by goons. Over half a dozen BJP activists were injured in the attack. Senior police officers immediately rushed to the spot but the miscreants escaped.
Sources in Etawah maintained that the attack was planned over a dispute between BJP leaders in connection with block pramukh elections. A rival candidate, whose was identified as Govind Tripathi, was said be behind the attack. However, the police claimed to be probing the matter.