UP: former MLA, another man shot dead in Azamgarh

A former Samajwadi Party MLA and his security guard were shot dead in broad daylight by unidentified assailants in Jiyanpur town of Azamgarh district today, trigerring largescale violence in the Uttar Pradesh township forcing police to open fire on a mob leaving one protester dead.

A former Samajwadi Party MLA and his security guard were shot dead in broad daylight by unidentified assailants in Jiyanpur town of Azamgarh district on Friday, trigerring largescale violence in the Uttar Pradesh township forcing police to open fire on a mob leaving one protester dead.

HT Image

Sarvesh Singh, a former Samajwadi Party MLA from Sagri constituency who later moved to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne youth when he was coming out of the Jiyanpur police station after meeting station officer Ramesh Singh. The former legislator’s security guard was also killed during the shoot-out, inspector general of police (law and order) RK Vishwakarma said.

Vishwakarma said that the murder was a result of old enmity and added that efforts were being made to nab the killers, who were yet to be identified.

Expressing concern over the murder, the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that the killers would be arrested soon.

Following the murder of Singh, large-scale violence broke out in Jiyanpur town as his supporters indulged in arson and clashed with the police.

The angry mob also torched two ‘Vajra’ vehicles and six motorcycles, he said, adding that police had to open fire to control the unruly mob and attempts are being made to control the situation.

One person was killed in police firing.

Singh had unsuccessfully contested on BSP ticket from Sagri constituency in Azamgarh in 2012 assembly election. His father Rampyare Singh was a cabinet minister in previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government.