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UP: BJP leader’s son held for partyman’s murder
Two men, including the son of a block pramukh, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a political rival in Uttar Pradesh. The deceased and the block panchayat chief were both BJP leaders. The accused admitted to hiring contract killers to eliminate the victim.
Meerut: Two men, including the son of a block pramukh, have been arrested in connection with the murder of a political rival in Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Friday, adding that both the deceased and the block panchayat chief were Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
During their interrogation, Aniket Choudhary, son of Asmouli block panchayat chief Santosh Devi, and his aide Neerajpal admitted to hiring three contract killers to eliminate Anuj Choudhary, who had unsuccessfully contested panchayat polls against Devi earlier this year, police officers said.
Anuj Choudhary was shot dead by three bike-borne assailants in Parshvanath Prathibha colony in Moradabad on August 10. A video of the incident was widely circulated on social media. Devi’s son Aniket and his aide were arrested on Wednesday.
Anuj, who was the BJP candidate for the Asmouli block panchayat poll, was defeated by Devi, who had contested as an independent after failing to get a BJP ticket. Devi was later supported by the BJP.
A local resident requesting anonymity said though Devi is the block pramukh, but it is her husband Prabhakar Choudhary who wields the power in the area.
Arpit Kapoor, circle officer, Moradabad Civil Lines, said the accused have admitted that they gave a contract worth ₹30 lakh, and paid ₹6 lakh in advance, to the three assailants to kill Anuj.
“Anuj Choudhary was killed due to a political rivalry. Prabhakar Choudhary and his son Aniket hatched the conspiracy and hired three contract killers with the help of Neerajpal,” Kapoor said.
Prabhakar Choudhary is yet to be arrested and so are the three assailants, identified as Suryakant Sharma, Sushil Sharma and Aakash Kashyap.
“Raids are being conducted to arrest the contract killers and others involved in the murder,” the circle officer said.
