UP block panchayat polls: BJP candidate's supporters try to 'abduct' BDC member, one killed

Police have arrested two of the accused and teams have been formed to arrest the others involved

A brother-in-law of a block development committee member was killed here as he resisted an alleged attempt to abduct his relative by a BJP candidate’s husband and supporters ahead of the polls for the block panchayat head.

The incident took place on Thursday night at Dinapurwa village when BJP candidate Sarita Yagyasaini's husband Sudhir Yagyasaini, along with her supporters and a gunner, reached block development committee (BDC) member Yadurai Devi's house.

They tried to abduct her to get her vote in the polls scheduled for July 10, local residents alleged.

BDC members are eligible to vote in the elections.

When Yadurai Devi's brother-in-law Mayaram (60) resisted the attempt, he was hit with the butt of a gun and died on the spot, police said.

Superintendent of Police Sujata Singh said an FIR has been registered against 10 people, including Sudhir Yagyasaini and the gunner deployed for the security of his wife Sarita.

Police have arrested two of the accused--Ram Bhulawan Shukla and Jitendra Kumar -- and teams have been formed to arrest the others involved in the act, she said.

The matter has been taken seriously and elaborate security arrangements have been made, the SP said, adding the stringent National Security Act will be invoked against the accused.

Samajwadi Party’s district president Ramharsh Yadav alleged that police are working as an "agent" of the BJP due to which its members are indulging in such acts.

Meanwhile, in Kaushambi district's Sirathu block, a police team raided the residence of an independent candidate, finding 18 BDC members present there.

They were taken to the Saini police station and later released after the intervention of BJP MLA Shitla Prasad Patel.

When asked, Circle Officer Yogendra Krishan Narain said he had got information that independent candidate Dileep Patel had held 18 BDC members hostage in his house.

Acting on it, police reached there and brought all 18 members to the police station, where the BDC members said they willingly went there and were not forced. Later, all of them were set free.