Local BJP leader shot dead in UP's Gorakhpur; 3 detained
Gorakhpur: A 52-year-old local BJP leader, a contestant in the panchayat elections in Narayanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was shot dead while he was returning home after attending a public meeting, police said on Saturday.
Three people were detained following the killing of Brijesh Singh on Friday night in the Moglaha area. The fourth accused is at large, they said.
Singh was shot around 11 pm and was rushed to the BRD Medical College, where doctors declared him dead, police said.
Based on a complaint from Singh's family members, a case was registered at the Gulriha police station and Sunil Srivastav, Vinay Srivastav and Ramsamujh were detained on Saturday, they said, adding that teams have been formed to nab Pawan Srivastav.
Panchayat elections will be held across Uttar Pradesh in four phases on April 15, April 19, April 26 and April 29. Counting of votes will be done on May 2.
On the probe into the case, Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar P on Saturday said, "It is very early to say anything, but police have started investigating the matter and are collecting clues, and very soon the case will be solved."
The officer also said that there are no previous instances of Singh filing a complaint against those detained.
Singh had suffered bullet injuries to his head and chest, police said.
Singh was the sector in-charge of the BJP and also a former village head of Narayanpur. He was contesting the elections for the post of village head as the seat was declared unreserved this year.
Following the killing, the BJP leaders family members and relatives staged a protest, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
