KANPUR Panic gripped Akhari village in Fatehpur on Tuesday after a farmer leader, his son and brother were shot dead following an altercation over his tractor blocking the road. Three people were arrested in connection with the killings, police said. The incident, rooted in long-standing political rivalry linked to the village panchayat elections, sparked tensions in the area.
The victims, identified as Vinod Singh alias Pappu Singh 50, his son Abhay Singh 22, and brother Anup Singh alias Rinku Singh, 40 were allegedly shot by supporters of former village head Munni Singh’s family. According to the police, the clash erupted after the former village head asked Pappu Singh to remove his tractor parked on the road to provide passage for his bike near Tahirapur crossroads in Hathgaon.
The situation took an ugly turn when Munni Singh’s two sons, including Piyush Singh, and their aides joined the scuffle and resorted to indiscriminate firing, resulting in the triple murder.
Piyush Singh and his supporters allegedly opened fire, killing Pappu and Abhay on the spot. Rinku Singh, who rushed to the scene upon hearing commotion, was also gunned down by the assailants, said police.
Pappu Singh’s mother, Ramdulari Devi, is the current village head (pradhan) of Akhri, while Munni Singh previously held the position. Locals claimed the feud stems from lingering resentment over the electoral rivalry.
{{/usCountry}}Pappu Singh’s mother, Ramdulari Devi, is the current village head (pradhan) of Akhri, while Munni Singh previously held the position. Locals claimed the feud stems from lingering resentment over the electoral rivalry.
{{/usCountry}}SSP Dhaval Jaiswal confirmed the arrest of three suspects and stated: “The situation is under control, but heavy police and PAC contingents have been deployed as a precaution.”
Those arrested included Suresh Singh alias Munni Singh, his son Piyush Singh and their aide Vivek Paswan.
Enraged family members of the victims initially barred authorities from removing the bodies, relenting only after police assurances of swift action. The bodies were later sent for post-mortem examination amid tight security.