This story is from June 17, 2014

In 10 days, 3 BJP leaders killed in UP

The BJP may have formed a government at the Centre but its workers are becoming increasingly vulnerable in virtually lawless Uttar Pradesh.
In 10 days, 3 BJP leaders killed in UP
LUCKNOW: The BJP may have formed a government at the Centre but its workers are becoming increasingly vulnerable in virtually lawless Uttar Pradesh. In the past 10 days, three BJP leaders have been killed and an equal number of them murderously attacked, including on Sunday when its MP from Fatehpur, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, was shot at by BYJM workers. Early on Sunday, the house of Devendra Sharma, a BJP leader from Mathura who lost the 2012 assembly elections, was targeted.

Condemning these attacks, the BJP alleged criminals have become fearless under Samajwadi Party rule. "Uttar Pradesh has become a safe zone for criminals," said BJP spokesman Manoj Misra, and hit out at the Akhilesh regime. The law and order situation is pathetic, Misra said, evident from recent attacks on BJP leaders including Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti. Misra also said the name of an SP MP was in circulation for the murder of a Congress leader's son. He also mentioned the kidnapping and rape of a class VIII student in Barabanki, rape of dalit woman in Ambedkarnagar and rape attempt on foreign tourist in Varanasi, and warned that the BJP will hit the streets if atrocities against party leaders and workers didn't stop.
While state BJP leaders are outraged over the selective targeting of party workers, police claim all attacks were separate incidents of crime and not part of a larger conspiracy.
It began on June 7 when Vijay Pandit, husband of Dadri nagar panchayat chairperson Geeta Pandit, was shot dead in Greater Noida. Investigation into the case led to the arrest of five people in five days. While fingers initially pointed towards a Noida-based SP leader, probe suggested Pandit was killed for coaxing eye-witnesses to a murder into testifying against an accused.
The next casualty was in Muzaffarnagar, where 47-year-old Omveer Singh Fauji was murdered on June 10. Cops first said Fauji was a victim of mistaken identity. But, making a U-turn on Sunday when the fourth suspect was arrested, they said Fauji was targeted by a violent group. "The two sides had old enmity over property," said Muzaffarnagar SP Hari Narayan Singh.
Then, 27-year-old Puneet Singhal, and RSS worker in Bulandshahr, was attacked by three motorcycle-borne robbers on June 11. Cops arrested two miscreants on Saturday, while Singhal is recovering at AIIMS.

On Friday, the body of BJP's Udham Singh Nagar vice president Rakesh Rastogi was recovered from a car in Baheri. A case was lodged at Kichha police station in Uttaranchal on Sunday. According to cops, Rastogi was killed by a close acquaintance, and it wasn't a "political killing".
"He died of shock and hemorrhage. Stab wounds on chest were found and plastic wire was used to strangle Rastogi. His hands were tied and body was found on the rear seat. Prima facie it doesn't seem political killing," said Bareilly SSP Bareli J Ravinder Goud.
IG, Police, Amrendra Kumar Senghar ruled out political rivalry behind a spate of attacks on BJP members. "All attacks were executed by people involved in some dispute with the targeted leader," he said. Then, early on Sunday, unknown people struck at the house of Devendra Sharma of BJP in Mathura. A bullet grazed past his mother. SSP Nitin Tiwari said a case under attempt to murder was registered and probe was on.
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